Tips from the culture desk: Textiles, documentaries and a ‘non-protest-song-recital’

As the Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival enters its final week, there’s still time to catch some of their events around Cairo, but the stars on the block are Zawya and Cimatheque, with stellar film line-ups offering a great escape from the early arrival of the summer heat.

Alyam, Alyam screening — Sunday and Tuesday

After a prolific run of international music documentaries from the 1960s, Cimatheque continues its documentary programming for April and May but with a focus on Arabic films. The program follows topical films and traces the evolution of documentary film language and aesthetics in the region, and kicks off with Moroccan 1978 production Alyam, Alyam by Ahmed al-Maanouni. Blurring documentary and fiction, the film focuses on a young man from a rural village seeking to travel to France to work. Cimatheque has a strong selection of screenings and special events through rest of the week too.

7 pm, April 2 - 4, Cimatheque, 19a Adly st, Downtown Cairo. More information here. Ticket: 15 LE.

Halfway Through the Thread exhibition — opens Monday

Arguing that textile making is gendered as women's work, and less celebrated than other art forms, the exhibition at Darb1718 proposes to create a space where there is "no distinction between art and craft." Textiles by more than 15 individuals and organizations are will be on display.

Opening 7 pm, April 3, Darb 1718, Kasr al-Shamaa St., Misr al-Kadima. Runs until April 15 daily from 11 am to 8 pm. More information here. Free.

Les Petits Chats and other Zawya releases — all week

Musician and filmmaker Sherif al-Nakhla’s much anticipated nostalgia-fest Les Petits Chats, which chronicles the 2010 reunion concert of a hit bourgeois Egyptian cover band from the 1960s, screens on Sunday. The band included actor Ezzat Abu Ouf, musicians Omar Khairat, Sobhy Badair, Wagdi Francis, Pino Phares, George Lukas and Sadek Gallini. If you missed Sherif al-Bendary’s debut feature Ali, the Goat and Ibrahim, Zawya releases it this week along while continuing screenings of Xavier Dolan’s It’s Only the End of the World and Liza Azuleos’ biopic Dalida. D-CAF’s film program, featuring award-winning Canadian films Incendies and Monsieur Lazhar, also show.

Zawya’s program available here. Ticket: 30 LE.

The Privileged Spectator — Monday and Tuesday

If you're in Alexandria, catch this “Non-Protest-Song-Recital” addressing understandings of democracy, participation, and who constitutes "the people," taking place within the framework of Theater is a Must Forum. Two performers, both equally musicians, actors, speakers and singers, will execute this show in German (with English and Arabic subtitles available). The set-up sounds intriguing, if only for its experimental format. The performance will also show on Thursday April 6 at Falaki Theatre as part of D-CAF's performing arts program. 

7 pm, April 3 and 4, Jesuits Cultural Center, 298 Port Said St, Cleopatra, Alexandria. More information here. Free.

Czech band Mydy Rabycad — Thursday

Czech electro-swing band Mydy Rabycad bring their high-energy performance style to Cairo Jazz Club, followed by DJ Safi and Palestinian DJ Sotusura with a set of Afro beats and electronica.

10:30 pm, April 6, Cairo Jazz Club, 197 26 July st, Agouza, Giza. More information here.