Tips from the culture desk: Cities, shorts and Habibi Funk

This week Alexandrians will get a chance to see Kawthar Younis’ film A Present from the Past, which is highly recommended. Kamla Abo Zekry’s A Day for Women and Ahmed Magdi Ali’s Mawlana also continue to be shown at cinemas nationwide, while Iranian director Asghar Farhadi’s latest film, The Salesman, is screening at Zawya all week. There is also still a chance to see Huda Lutfi's portraits at Gypsum, and the dystopian ink drawings of Ali Abdel Mohsen at Mashrabia gallery.

City stories through cinema and literature — Saturday

A conversation between visual artist Salwa Rashad, filmmaker Mae Abdel Sater, and writer Alaa Khaled, moderated by Ahmed Mansour from Heliopolis Heritage group, will examine how the story of the city moves between history and change, with a particular focus on Alexandria and Beirut. Khaled and Rashad will present Amkenah, a periodical on the culture of place, which they have been publishing together since 1999, and Abdel Sater will show her documentary Milk Tea, as seen through the eyes of her father and family from different corners of the world.

6 pm, January 21, Megawra, Al-Ashraf Street, beside Shajarat al-Durr Mausoleum, Al Khalifa. More information can be found here.

Habibi Funk at Zigzag — Monday

After his Cairo debut at the Panorama of the European Film launch party in November, Habibi Funk brings his special blend of Arabic Funk and Disco back to Zigzag's stage. The Berlin-based music producer will likely keep us dancing into the early hours of the morning. You can sample his mixes, created from vinyls he’s collected over the years from Morocco to Tunis to Syria, on his Soundcloud page.

10 pm, January 23, Zigzag, 6 Kasr al-Nil Street, Downtown Cairo. More information can be found here.

A conversation with Marie Helene Pereria at Darb 1718 — Tuesday

Darb has invited Pereria to present the Raw Materials Company from Senegal’s artistic and educational program, as part of an effort to build connections with African organisations. The Raw Material Company’s programs span a variety of disciplines, including visual art, performance, literature and politics, and they also run an art space, educational program, and studio and residency spaces for artists, curators and researchers. As an arts manager in Dakar, Pereria has shifted from the business world to the arts, and besides her organisational role in the Raw Materials Company, she also organises exhibitions and discursive programs worldwide.

6.30 pm, January 24 at Darb 1718, Kasr al-Shamaa Street, Masr al-Qadima, Cairo. Free of charge. The conversation will be in English.

Zawya Short Film Festival — Starting Friday

In its second edition, Zawya’s Short Film Festival aims to provide a space for young filmmakers in Egypt to both show their films and compete for awards. Among anticipated titles at the three day festival are: Naji Ismail’s The Builders, which premiered in Dubai in December, the crowdfunded Fathy Doesn't Live Here Anymore, by Maged Nader, and Mayye Zayed’s A Stroll Down Sunflower Lane (both of which premiered at Berlinale’s Forum Expanded), as well as Maysoon al-Masry’s Aida. The festival boasts a total of 27 films that will be screened over three days. The jury consists of some of Cairo’s most respected filmmakers in their generation, including: Ahmad Abdalla (Rags and Tatters, Microphone), Nadine Salib (Um Ghayeb) and Mohamed Hammad who just won the Best Director Award at the Dubai International Film Festival.

7.30 pm on January 28, 29, 30 at Zawya Cinema, 4 Abdel Hamid Said Street, off Talaat Harb Street, Downtown, Cairo. More details on the program can be found here.