one night, last spring, abdallah al ghoul nearly died from being trapped in an elevator. from that experience he is now crafting a short fiction film, The Twelfth Floor, a re-enactment of his near death trauma, and a lyrical meditation on dying, beauty and memory, that explores his life in cairo and his childhood in gaza.
(photo of one page of the storyboard of the film)
abdallah studies at the film institute in cairo, on scholarship, and will return to gaza this autumn to create films tell stories that fall outside of the mainstream media's depiction of palestinians, outside of the cliched topics of religious extremism, violence, and poverty.
his first film, a short documentary, told the story of his childhood friends who now are employed to dig the network of tunnels between gaza and egypt, which are a tool of survival resistance in response to the blockade, and bring vitally needed goods and services to gaza. it has been shown at several film festivals in europe and the middle east and won an 'honorary mention' at the dubai film festival in 2010.
you can help support abdallah, and his vision of palestinians telling real stories about their lives, by contributing to this project. we are seeking to raise $ 1,500 in the next couple of weeks to finish this film. everyone who contributes to the film will not only be thanked in the end credits of the film, but also will receive a digital copy of the film once it is released.
over the next months i will share updates and photos from the shooting and editing process, as well as where and when it will be shown globally.
please remember any amount helps. in cairo, ten dollars, can go a long way.
with love,
mai'a williams
