17 Fouad Street

A documentary that follows the pace of the working hours in "Chaussures Edouard", the once famous shoes store in Fouad street, Alexandria. A special place that is managed by the charismatic Armenian-Alexandrian Nubar Edouard.

A production of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, Rufy's Films and The Arab Origami Center | Sound Design: Samir Nabil | Colour grading: Tamer Nady | Produced by Mohamad El-Hadidi | Shot, Edited and Directed by Ahmed Nabil

March 2014 - Al-Horeia Center for Creativity, Alexandria.

March 2014 - German Film Week in Goethe Institute, Cairo.

April 2014 - 10th Rencontres de l'image Film Festival in the French Institute, Cairo.

September 2014 - 30th Alexandria Mediterranean Film Festival, Alexandria.

February 2015 - Shorts Series Revisited Take #2 in Zawya, Cairo.

September 2015 - Egyptian TV - Channel Two.

June 2016 - Festival Gollut - Amics del Cinema de la Vall de Ribes, Barcelona.

September 2016 - Jesuit Film Festival, Eneba, Alexandria and Cairo.

October 2016 - "Alexandrie Ici" by Ici-Même, Grenoble.

January 2017 - Sudan Independent Film Festival, Khartoum.

November 2017 - Alexandria Heritage Days, Alexandria.

August 2020 - Online screening for one month through Basita.

Egypt - Documentary - 2014 - 32 minutes

Order to watch

Selected previous screenings

Awards

2014 - Best Short Documentary.

10th Rencontres de l'image Film Festival, Cairo.

2014 - Rafik El Sabban award.

30th Alexandria Mediterranean Film Festival, Alexandria.

2016 - Miquel Porter i Moix award.

3rd Festival Gollut, Barcelona.

2016 - Short documentary award.

Jesuit Film Festival, Cairo.

Teaser

Background

The history of Armenians in Egypt is quite old and complicated. Their presence in the country preceded the Armenian genocide. Many Egyptians of Armenian origins have had a great impact on the Egyptian political and cultural scenes. However, present time Armenians are quite conservative about being involved in political debates, their ancestors were hired to work in high ranked positions within the Egyptian cabinet. Needless to elaborate about the role of “Boghos Youssufian” (1768–1844), head of the Diwan Al-Tijara (bureau of commerce), the overseer of other financial affairs for Mohamed Ali. As well as Nubar Pasha (1825–1899) who became the first prime minister in modern Egypt.

“Chaussures Edouard” was founded by Nubar’s late father in one of the most prestigious boulevards of the city of Alexandria. Fouad street, and many of the neighbouring streets and alleys, used to be the place where you can buy high-end clothes models and shoes. This was not only an impact of the colonization, that lasted for seventy decades in the case of the British occupation, but also it a result for the cosmopolitan and international nature of the city.

Note

One of the most enjoyable filmmaking experiences for me. I was intrigued by how the shop looked from outside. And I just could not resist getting inside and asking the kind owner to host me with my camera for a few days of shooting. Back then I was quite under the influence of the French filmmaker, Nicolas Philibert, and his idea about the fact that you can make a film "anywhere and about anyone" because there is a "story" to be told everywhere.

A few months after I have completed "17 Fouad Street", I had three or four books on my desk. I was to pick one as my next reading. I could not really decide which one to start with, so I decided to start reading a bit of each book and then see which one I will fall in love with. One of the books was a fiction by Harry Tzalas, "Seven Days at the Cecil". To my astonishment, the first chapter of the book ended by an encounter between the narrator and the owner of “Chaussures Edouard" in the shop. So the choice of the book was simply made.