How fine is the line between fact and fiction? Where does reality end and fantasy starts? Does the world we live in really exists or is it just a figment of our imagination; questions that Director Khaled Marie attempts to address in his latest work Asef Ala El Ezag (Sorry for Disturbance).

 

Without undermining any other element in the film, I think it is safe to say that the direction is what really stands here. Marie, one of the most prominent film editors of his generation, turns to work behind the camera and proves, with his artistic vision, his beautiful and well-balance cadres, that he has the aptitude for the job.

 

On another note, the film is a benchmark because it marks actor Ahmed Helmy’s departure from the usual light, farcical comedy and into more serious, plot-driven, sophisticated films that require more versatility in the acting process.

 

Set mainly in an upper class district of Cairo, the film explores the relations between Hassan (Helmy), an aviation engineer who lives with his parents and apparently suffers from an inferiority complex and his community (home, work and friends).

 
Without going into to many details since they contain spoilers to the film’s twist, Asef Ala El Ezag deserves praise for its extraordinary achievements in art direction, cinematography and storyboard; the sets were well-prepared and balanced and the lighting was a perfect complement to the mood of the film.

 

The Acting ensemble was again a point of strength in the movie. Especially prominent are actors Mahmoud Hemida in the role of Hassan’s father and a couple of secondary characters who provided moments of absurd comedy unfamiliar in contemporary Egyptian cinema. Ahmed Helmy proved that he can take on a heavy weight film like this with the needed versatility, while Mena Shalaby’s performance was a bit low key.

 

In the end, while I think it’s a bit over the top to say the film is a surprise, but it was indeed a nice change from the usual comedy flicks Helmy does; a change that might guarantee that he stays on top of the acting job market for another couple of years.