Tips from the culture desk: A new arts season warming up

As well as these film, music and art tips, you can also make a visit to the three-venue art exhibition Roznama 5 in Cairo, or catch Ahmed El Attar's recent satirical play The Last Supper, which is playing again at the American University in Cairo's Falaki Theater from September 22 to 26.

The third Jesuits Film Festival in Alexandria — starting Saturday

A big contributor to the independent cinema scene in Cairo, Minya and Alexandria, the Jesuits Cultural Center’s cinema workshops have helped several generations of filmmakers get started. The third edition of the center's film festival has already shown films and held workshops and Q&As in Minya, Assiut and Aswan, and is now entering its final week in Alexandria, with feature films showing in the Jesuits Cultural Center and shorts at Wekalet Behna. The selection includes features such as Amir Ramsis’ documentary Jews of Egypt Part II, Ahmad Abdalla’s Decor and Karim Shaaban’s One Day, and shorts like Ahmed Nabil’s 17 Fouad Street and Maysoon al-Masry’s Aida.

September 17 to 22, free entry. Full program and locations here.

Masāfāt festival — starting Sunday

Masāfāt is a new British Council-supported festival consisting of two different music, film and talks programs for London and Cairo, both aimed at showing “the best in forward-thinking underground culture, promoting cultural and artistic exchange between the two regions.” From experience we may be wary of attempts at cultural bridge-building and the broad application of the word “underground,” but at least on the music front, the four-day Cairo event boasts an exciting electronic lineup including, from the UK, producer Lee Gamble (of the label that released recent Zuli EP Bionic Ahmed), producer Gaika, duo Rezzett and DJ Beatrice Dillon, and from Egypt, Nur, C39s31 and Ismael.

London’s Institute of Contemporary Art and Cairo’s VENT are involved as organizers, Mada Masr’s own Jenifer Evans and Andeel have put together a modest film program (that includes Mohamed Khan's Omar's Journey and Hassan Hafez’s Viva Zalata), and there’s three panel discussions.

Events are free, but the music requires booking by emailing [email protected]. See event here.

Mohamed Allam’s The Contents of the Grocery Bag  — opening Wednesday

Thirty-two-year-old Mohamed Allam might be best-known for co-founding the Cairo Video Festival and Medrar for Contemporary Art, currently housed in Garden City and hosting the group exhibition Roznama 5, but he’s also had his own artistic practice for many years.

The Contemporary Image Collective hosts his first solo show in Egypt since My Nineties at Townhouse in 2013. Titled The Contents of the Grocery Bag and involving several collaborators just as My Nineties did (including in this case short story writer Hassan Elhalwagy), it consists of video, text and sound work made over two years in Cairo and Tokyo, where Allam has been on residency at Tokyo Wonder Site. Expect choreography, pop culture, and most likely narratives with an understated, absurd sense of humor.

Open from September 21 to October 4 at CIC, 22 Abdel Khalek Sarwat (5th floor), downtown Cairo. See Facebook event here.

Dina El Wedidi live at Zigzag — Wednesday

Downtown Cairo nightclub and music venue Zigzag is back after undergoing renovations and a programming rethink. Besides its usual club nights, it will now be hosting live acts on Wednesday nights, which is a breath of much-needed fresh air for Cairo given the limited spaces currently hosting live music in relation to the size of the independent music scene.

The first live act is Dina El Wedidi. Having started her career with the well-known Warsha Theater Troupe before studying music under the supervision of musicians such as Grammy-award winning Fathi Salama and Brazilian singer Gilberto Gil, the singer-songwriter has become a major figure in Cairo’s music scene. She's also part of the Nile Project, which brings together musicians from the Nile Basin, and her music consciously reflects local musical heritage. Opening and closing the night is Zigzag’s resident DJ Chabana.

10 pm, September 21 at Zigzag, 6 Qasr al-Nil Street, downtown Cairo. No reservations required, tickets LE50.

Tamer Abu Ghazaleh & Random House — Saturday

Cairo-based Palestinian singer, oud and bouzouk player, composer and producer Tamer Abu Ghazaleh will perform tracks from his second, vocals-heavy album Thulth, released earlier this year.

The 30-year-old multifaceted musician is also part of various groups such as Thawret Ala’ by Al-Tamye Theater Troupe and the pan-Arab Alif ensemble, with Khyam Allami and Maurice Louca, as well as being the founder of Eka3, which is a booking agency for regional musicians, a record label and a music licensing agency, and co-founder of music magazine Ma3azef.com.

Random House, on the other hand, is a Jordanian band that’s new on the scene. The four-member group experiment with a mix of musical styles including folk, indie, reggae, rock and electronica in oriental rhythms and scales. Their debut album Ya 3aleem was released in 2015.

8 pm September 24 at Geneina Theater, Azhar Park, Salah Salem Street, Cairo. Tickets LE30 LE and don't include the LE10 park entrance fee. Tickets can be bought in advance here.