The screening of Egyptian filmmaker Mohanad Diab’s short documentary Tahra’s Life at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival was an important and poignant moment. In his journey to Cannes, Diab brought two tragically underrepresented worlds to the international spotlight: that of independent Egyptian cinema, and of working class Egyptian women. Shown at the short movies corner on 17 May, Tahra’s Life is the story of a struggling woman from upper Egypt who, after her husband’s death, worked several muscular and tough jobs usually reserved for men in order to support her five children. The film – based on a true story – is the second in a trilogy addressing Egyptian women’s struggle, the first being the award-winning Kamla’s Life. “The purpose of Tahra’s story is not just to tell the audience about her miserable life” says Diab. “No – it’s about finding hope through the details of her story – how she is proud of herself for working and earning her living by herself.” Indeed, Tahra’s story is one seldom told. The conversations surrounding women in Egypt – both locally and globally – are often limited, both in terms of whom…
