Egyptian filmmaker Ayman El Amir is developing a new satirical dark comedy that takes direct aim at the country’s fixation with success and celebrity. The project, titled “A Pair of Shoes in the Dark Corner of the Moon,” follows a struggling actor whose life spins out of control when a fake reality-TV promise turns him into a national hero overnight. The film is among 14 projects from 15 countries selected for the Crossroads Co-Production Forum at the 67th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, running November 5–15, 2026, with the forum itself taking place November 8–12.
El Amir, who co-directed the Cannes Golden Eye-winning documentary “The Brink of Dreams” in 2024, is writing and directing the new feature. Nada Riyadh is producing through their Cairo-based company Felucca Films.
What the Film Is About
The story is set in a remote Egyptian village and centers on George, described as a “quirky Coptic dreamer” who desperately wants to be a famous actor but is stuck playing an extra in low-budget films. His village is promised a sewage mega-project, and around the same time, George gets what looks like a miraculous break: a spot on a space-themed reality TV show that promises a voyage to the moon. He becomes a celebrated national hero almost instantly.
The celebration does not last. The show is exposed as a scam, and George becomes a laughingstock. He returns home in disgrace, rejected by his community, only to discover that the village’s promised sewage project was also an illusion. What follows is a journey of self-discovery, where George uncovers his true identity and a sense of belonging.
El Amir describes the film as a “contemporary dark comedy fable” that satirizes “our obsession with success and fame at all costs”. The director frames the story around a direct question: “How do you plan a future that is not in your control?” .
“At its core, this film explores the boundaries of aspiration in contemporary Egyptian society, the invisible barriers that block out dreams of equality, opportunity and self-made success,” El Amir told Variety in Thessaloniki. “It’s a deeply reflective story about identity, belonging and how we perceive ourselves.”
The director adds that beneath those layers, the film is about “the sudden, jarring realization of stepping out from under a predetermined gaze and finally being witnessed as you truly are”.
A Return to Barsha and the Question of Representation
The new film brings El Amir back to Barsha, the village in southern Egypt where he spent years making “The Brink of Dreams.” That documentary followed the Panorama Barsha Troupe, an all-female theater group whose street performances challenged underage marriage, domestic violence, and patriarchy in a conservative society.
A major motivation for the new project came from audience Q&As during the Egyptian theatrical release of “The Brink of Dreams” — the first Egyptian documentary ever to be distributed commercially in the country. El Amir says he was “surprised by the stereotypes” that city-dwellers from Cairo and Alexandria held about fellow Egyptians living in the south.
“During the last decade, Egyptian cinema became predominated by images of people living in luxury compounds and gated communities that represents only less than 10% of Egyptian society,” El Amir said. “We rarely see people from the south on screen. For me, that is a question of representation that I find very important and urgent.”
The director points to a stark contrast between the glitzy narrative of a “New Egypt” — marked by satellite cities, massive highways, and extravagant beach resorts — and the daily reality in places like Barsha, where “an unforgiving sun, a parched earth and a high unemployment rate and a failed economy” define life for many.
Production Status and Funding
“A Pair of Shoes in the Dark Corner of the Moon” is in advanced development, with initial financing in place and plans to shoot at the end of 2028. At the CineGouna Industry Platform, the project received a $10,000 grant from Arab Radio & Television and a separate $10,000 production grant from ESLSCA University.
The team’s goal at Thessaloniki is to connect with European and international co-producers who can help with funding, financing, and European co-production avenues. A practical production plan is already in place: village scenes will be shot on location in southern Egypt, while the space-themed reality TV show sequence can be filmed in any partner country.
El Amir’s track record gives the project significant industry weight. “The Brink of Dreams” won the Golden Eye Award for best documentary at Cannes in 2024, making it the first Egyptian film ever to receive that honor. The filmmaking duo was also named Variety MENA Talent of the Year in 2024. El Amir’s earlier feature, “Happily Ever After,” premiered at IDFA in 2016. He also works as a script consultant for programs including TorinoFilmLab, Cannes’ La Fabrique, and the Doha Film Institute.
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The Festival and the Forum
The Thessaloniki International Film Festival runs November 5–15, 2026, and the Crossroads Co-Production Forum takes place November 8–12 as part of the festival’s Agora industry arm. The forum selected 14 projects from 15 countries across Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean region. The jury includes producers Ioanna Bolomyti (Greece), Fred Burle (Germany), and Linda Mutawi (Sweden), with Remi Burah of Arte France Cinéma overseeing the ArteKino International Award.
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