Private Project

The Mother and the Bear

Egyptian filmmaker Yasmina El Kamaly reflects on her family’s matrilineal history by examining her relationship with her mother, as well as the complicated bond between her mother and grandmother. Using journals, home videos and letters, she locates their longing for affection and the dysfunctional ways they go about getting it—offering and rebuffing attention, smothering and straining love—as the root.

  • Yasmina El Kamaly
    Director
  • Amal Ramses
    Producer
  • Shadi Farid
    Sound Design
  • Yasmina El Kamaly
    Cinematography
  • Yasmina El Kamaly
    Editing
  • Simone El Habre
    Editing
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes 43 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 15, 2024
  • Country of Origin:
    Egypt
  • Country of Filming:
    Egypt
  • Language:
    Arabic
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    April 30, 2024
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Yasmina El Kamaly

Yasmina El Kamaly is a filmmaker and visual artist from Cairo, Egypt. She studied Directing at the High Cinema Institute in Cairo. El Kamaly’s directorial debut, "The Mother and the Bear," received its world premiere screening at Hot Docs in 2024. A visual artist in addition to her work in film, El Kamaly's video installations got screened in exhibitions such as "Being Borrowed". El Kamaly has four years of experience working in film festivals and cultural organizations in Egypt, including Manassat Film Festival, El Gouna Film Festival, Film My Design, NAAS Network, & Between Women Filmmakers Caravan. Previous roles encompassed programming & curation, project management, and talents relations.

Contacts: Yasmina.elkamalyy@gmail.com

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