Alia Ayman

Catharsis: a self-portrait

Being born to an Egyptian religious family yet brought up in an entirely westernized environment, an identity crisis seemed inevitable. In this film, 22 year old Alia films herself, voices her conflicted thoughts about gender, cultural imperialism and the taboos in the Egyptian society to which she belongs, as she exposes herself completely to the audience and ultimately to her own self, thereby undergoing a process of a refreshing and liberating catharsis that led to her much needed self reconciliation.

I live in phases and sometimes my life seems discontinuous. It is only through what I create that I'm able to project cohesiveness on the perceived fragmentation of my being. Cinema for me is the greatest witness to my path of self discovery, and that's the only reason I make films.