Tips from the culture desk: June 18-25

If you're not too swept up in Ramadan's glut of TV series and social engagements, here are some films, music and humor to consider this week if you're in Cairo or Alexandria.

Asia Madani & Dorsaf Hamdani — Saturday and Saturday

As Popular Cairo-based Sudanese musician Asia Madani plays twice this week — once as part of the Hayy Festival at Al-Azhar Park's Geneina Theater on June 18 and again at ROOM on June 25. Also on June 25, back over at the Hayy Festival, there's a chance to see Tunisian musician Dorsaf Hamdani.

Screening of Forbidden by Amal Ramsis — Saturday

If you’re looking to revisit the January 25 revolution this week, you might want to consider attending the screening of Amal Ramsis’s 2011 award-winning documentary Forbidden on Saturday. Shot prior to the revolution, the film follows a loose narrative around the limitations of politics and society as manifested by emergency law, workers’ rights, public displays of affection and steel barricades around squares such as Tahrir. Demonstrations against the 2010 attack on Gaza appear, as do interviews with journalists, filmmakers, activists and others.

8:30 pm, June 18 at Doum Cultural Foundation, 36 Abdel-Khaleq Tharwat Street, downtown Cairo.

Diary of a Country Priest — Sunday

A favorite of filmmakers and critics, Robert Bresson’s 1951 film Diary of a Country Priest, screening at this week's "coffee and film night" at Garden City's Room, is about the struggles of a young priest in a small French village. Between the rejection of the villagers and his feeble health, he starts to question his own beliefs.

9 pm, June 19, Room Art Space and Cafe, 10 Ethaad al-Mohameen Street, Garden City, Cairo. Free entry, LE25 minimum charge.

Bahgaga in Ramadan – Thursday

Founded in September 2015, women’s choir and mixed multi-instrumental band Bahgaga create humorous Arabic-language songs and contemporary monologues (composed largely by Ayman Helmy and arranged by Nahla Mattar) in a bid to develop the art of the monologue and generate unconventional musical ideas. We haven’t seen them yet, but we’re intrigued and think it may be fun.

9.30 pm, June 23, free entry. Jesuits Cairo 15 Mahrany Street, Fagala, Ramses (next to the Coptic hospital). See Facebook event here.

Nour Project & High Dam — Friday

As part of a series of events to celebrate Fete de la Musique, Alexandria’s Goethe Institute has organized a double-bill concert. Cairo’s Nour Project, initiated by saxophonist Nour Ashour (Al-Door al-Awal, Resala, Crash Boom Bang), mixes eastern and western musical influences and rearranges classics. Alexandria’s High Dam is a large composition of musicians revisiting their Nubian roots and breathing diversity into the culture in the north of Egypt.

9 pm, June 24 at Jesuits Cultural Center, 298 Port Said Street, Cleopatra, Alexandria.

Roznama 5 call for artists — until June 30

Medrar has extended its call for all Egyptian visual artists under 30 to participate in the fifth annual Roznama competition and exhibition, to be held in September 2016. In seeking to highlight outstanding works of contemporary art in all media, Roznama offers several exciting awards including a solo exhibition, a three-month residency in Paris and cash prizes from various institutions and individuals. Deadline is now June 30, see here for details.