In the summer of 2025, Netflix released Catalogue – an Egyptian family drama that dares to explore one of life’s hardest experiences: the loss of a parent. The series follows Youssef (Mohamed Farrag), a workaholic father suddenly thrust into single parenthood after his wife Amina’s untimely death. But Catalogue isn’t just about Youssef’s grief as a widower; it’s about what comes after – the messy, chaotic, and heartwarming journey of learning to truly be a parent. As a person who lost her own father at the age of 12 – around the same age as the show’s teenage daughter Karima (played by Retal AbdElaziz) – I watched Catalogue through tears and smiles, finding that its story hit painfully close to home. A Heartfelt Tale of Loss, Love, and Learning Catalogue begins with a tragedy: Amina (Riham Abdel Ghafour), the mother of two young children, passes away after a battle with cancer. Her death leaves behind a shell-shocked family; a husband who thought providing material comfort was enough, and two kids who suddenly need their emotionally-distant dad more than ever. Youssef quickly realizes he has been an absent father, especially as…
Grief On Screen: Reviewing ‘Catalogue’ Series Through the Eyes of Someone Who’s Lived It
August 19, 2025
