The Closed Doors

The Closed Doors touches on a taboo in contemporary Egyptian society and its social and political aspects. The film is set at the time of the Gulf Crisis and tells the story of a boy who is strongly influenced by his close surroundings. For instance, the stories of his friends make him increasingly interested in fundamental ideas, partly as a result of the powerful and confusing feelings of sexuality awakening in him. This sexuality is subject to very strict norms in Egypt, but is difficult to tame. When it looks as if the boy’s mother is going to have an affair with the man who gives him some extra tutoring, the boy starts to feel ashamed. With tragic consequences. This powerful film tries to tackle complex themes like oppression, jealousy, virtue, the love ideal and violence in an uncompromising way. Atef Hetata: ‘The theme of adolescence has still hardly been tackled if ever in Egyptian cinema – probably because it touches on sexual frustration and incest. The year 1990 was the dawn of a new world order, of fundamentalism, frenetic consumerism. The poor get poorer. For an adolescent in all this confusion the most obvious way is that of fundamentalism, satisfying both his rebellious spirit and the maintenance of his identity.’