EGYPTIAN BROTHERS’ STRUGGLE TAKES CENTRE STAGE IN FLORENCE AS ‘THE SETTLEMENT’ SHINES ON GLOBAL STAGE

The Settlement brings Egypt’s working-class struggles to the global stage at the Florence-based Middle East Now Festival.

Egyptian film The settlement Now festival Global audience Entertainment.
Egyptian film "The Settlement"
Egyptian film "The Settlement"



After making waves at the Berlinale, Egyptian filmmaker Mohamed Rashad’s gritty drama The Settlement continues its festival journey with a powerful screening at the Middle East Now Festival in Florence on July 23. The screening marks the film’s third appearance in Italy, a testament to its rising international acclaim and emotional pull.

At the heart of The Settlement lies a raw and deeply human story about survival, sacrifice, and the silent cost of labour. When two young brothers, Hossam and 12-year-old Maro, lose their father to an industrial accident, they’re pushed into the very factory that claimed his life. What begins as a gesture of compensation spirals into a haunting confrontation with grief, injustice, and the ghost of their father’s past still employed in human form.

Rather than relying on star power, Rashad casts non-professional actors Adham Shoukry and Ziad Islam to portray the brothers, whose unvarnished performances anchor the film’s emotional resonance. The older brother’s burden to adapt to a callous work environment is mirrored by the younger’s heartbreaking descent into child labour, offering a piercing lens into class disparity and systemic neglect.

Behind the camera, the film reflects a deeply collaborative effort. Produced by Hala Lotfy under Cairo-based Hassala Films, The Settlement draws on support from global co-production partners across Europe and the Middle East, including France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.

The film’s development and production received backing from a constellation of respected institutions: Berlinale World Cinema Fund, IFFR’s Hubert Bals Fund, Doha Film Institute, the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, Red Sea Development Fund, and more.

Now screening under the banner of MAP OF CREATION, the non-profit that runs the Middle East Now festival, The Settlement is part of a wider cinematic movement bringing urgent Middle Eastern stories to global audiences. With its unflinching gaze at child labour and industrial exploitation, Rashad’s film doesn’t just reflect reality; it demands that we look closer.

Comments

You must be logged in to comment.