As an ardent admirer of the art of cinema, I find Ahd Kamel’s journey to be nothing short of inspiring. Her directorial debut, “My Driver and I”, is not just a film; it’s a testament to her personal journey, a love letter to her hometown Jeddah, and a tribute to the man who played an integral role in her life – Gamar.
The journey to bring Saudi multi-talent Ahd Kamel’s directorial first film “My Driver and I”, set to premiere at the Red Sea Film Festival, to the big screen has been quite a lengthy process.
Roula Dakheelallah and Mustafa Shehata, two actors from Saudi Arabia who appear together in the movie, sat down for a chat with Alex Ritman at EbMaster’s Lounge located at Red Sea. They discussed the film, which offers a unique perspective of Saudi society and its social structure in Jeddah during the 1980s and ’90s.
As a passionate cinephile, I’m excited to share that this movie is loosely based on the true tale of Ahd Kamel. Much like how Dakheelallah brings her story to life, I play a character named Salma, who hails from a prosperous family in Jeddah.
She had a chauffeur named Gamar who navigated her through various destinations, knowing intricate details of her life,” she recalled. Later, many years passed, and they parted paths. She ventured to different countries, such as New York, where she delved into the study of film.
Later on, Ahd Kamel learned that Gamar had sadly passed away. As Dakheelallah explained, “This revelation struck her because it became clear that he knew a great deal about her life’s events, while she barely knew anything about him.
Therefore, the director crafted his initial full-length film as a tribute born out of affection for Jeddah, serving partly as a means to achieve a sense of resolution and reinforce his personal narrative. He wished to disseminate this extraordinary tale globally since it’s worth sharing with everyone.
The movie’s history revolves around Gamar, who had to leave his wife and little girl back in Sudan. In Jeddah, he develops into a trusted confidant, instructor, motivator, and partner-in-crime for Salma, as film critic Alissa Simon described him in her “My Driver and I” review. Notably, Gamar also pledged to teach Salma driving one day, which was forbidden for women in Saudi Arabia at that time.
Dakheelallah noted that Ahd Kamel attempted to produce a movie in the year 2016, which was just one year prior to when Saudi Arabia removed its religious restrictions on cinema. Unfortunately, because of this prohibition, the filming process had to cease.
Indeed, it’s a “wonderful privilege” to debut “My Driver and I” in Saudi Arabia, and it’s equally remarkable that “women are taking center stage,” as she emphasized, for sharing our experiences through a distinctly Saudi perspective is indeed extraordinary.
For Mustafa Shehata, who portrays Gamar, working with Ahd was a delightful experience as she proved to be extremely adaptable on set, given her dual role as both an actor and director.
Shehata added that he was drawn to playing her driver after he teared up reading the script.
I teared up, expressing, ‘I’ll go ahead with this as I believe she’ll infuse it with her spirit. Thus, it promises to be an incredibly authentic film.’
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2024-12-09 18:46