06 Dec Full Circle: IEFTA Alumni Kesmat El Sayed’s Success with ‘Abo Zaabal 89’
The International Emerging Film Talent Association (IEFTA) is proud to celebrate the recent accomplishments of alumna Kesmat El Sayed (Egypt) and her powerful documentary Abo Zaabal 89. Selected for the IEFTA Global Film Expression Initiative at the El Gouna Film Festival’s CineGouna platform in 2018, the film has now come full circle, achieving remarkable success on the international festival circuit.
A Journey of Collaboration and Support
Kesmat’s journey with Abo Zaabal 89 began with IEFTA’s Global Film Expression Initiative, which provides emerging filmmakers with mentorship, funding, and guidance to realize their creative visions. Kesmat credits IEFTA for their invaluable support, saying:
``None of this would have been possible without your generous contribution, belief in our vision, and unwavering support throughout this journey.``
IEFTA’s ongoing investment in Abo Zaabal 89 has included funding, advocacy at international festivals, and consultation. The film’s completion and success is a testament to the collaborative spirit of nurturing talent and promoting culturally significant stories.
A Deeply Personal Film Resonating Globally
Produced by Kesmat El Sayed, Abo Zaabal 89 tells a deeply personal and poignant story, rooted in Egypt’s complex historical and social fabric. It has captured the attention of press outlets including Egypt Press, Business Doc Europe, The Film Verdict, and Cineuropa, all praising its emotional depth and masterful storytelling.
In November, Abo Zaabal 89 premiered to sold-out screenings and standing ovations, receiving critical acclaim at two prestigious festivals:
- Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), where it won the Best Feature Documentary Award, the Africa No Filter Special Jury Award, and an International Critics’ Week Special Mention.
- International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), where it enjoyed an equally warm reception during its international premiere.
Kesmat El Sayed
PRODUCER
Kesmat El Sayed is a producer, and co-founder of See Media Production Egypt and Seera Films GmbH Germany independent production company based in Berlin. Her focus is on reviving forgotten stories and challenging prevailing narratives. She delves into the lives of overlooked Egyptian activists, ensuring their legacies are not lost.
She started producing since 2011 and launched her first international production “Althawra…khabar” (Reporting a revolution) which premiered at the Berlinale 2012. She started producing films independently in Egypt to focus on stories that are artistically crafted have social relevance and can reach a global audience. In 2020 she moved to Germany founded Seera Films GmbH and was shortly joined by Laura Kloeckner. Since then they have been able to release films internationally and work in co-production and producing creative documentaries and fiction films by filmmakers from Asia, Africa and the Arabic-speaking region amplifying systemically underrepresented voices of the global majority with high artistic value for local and international audiences.
She has released three short documentaries and three feature documentaries that have premiered at international festivals and won awards. Kesmat is a Eave, Eurodoc, Realness Indaba and Berlinale Talent Alumni.
Abo Zaabal 89
Bassam Mortada was five years old when he first visited his father Mahmoud in the notorious Abo Zaabal prison. With the police raid still fresh in his mind, his experience was dominated by incomprehension. But in the years that followed, resentment took hold. Bassam was raised by his mother Fardous, a socialist activist herself. As a single parent, her life was hard, and when Mahmoud was finally released from prison he seemed like a different person. He left for Vienna, and for a second time she was left behind, this time embittered. Bassam grew alienated from both, suppressing his own trauma and confusion. In this documentary, he films his efforts to renew and restore relationships with his parents and find a path to historical truth, emotional comprehension and psychological healing, as he tries to reconstruct how his parents’ political activism has shaped their family. Through conversations with his parents and their friends, the cassette tapes his father sent from Vienna, a theatrical monologue by his father’s best friend, newspaper archives and found footage, he shows the impact of the “big” history of Egypt on the “small” history of his family.
Gratitude and Future Horizons
Reflecting on her journey, Kesmat expressed heartfelt thanks to IEFTA for their role in bringing her vision to life. She remarked on the film’s incredible reception, sharing her excitement for its ongoing global screenings.
As Abo Zaabal 89 continues to resonate with audiences worldwide, we celebrate this full-circle moment—witnessing the culmination of Kesmat’s hard work, talent, and the unwavering support of IEFTA.
We look forward to seeing Abo Zaabal 89 reach even greater heights and are proud to have played a part in its journey.