What inspires Hassala Films to support the field?
To enhance our filmmaking ecosystem: the current structures no longer serve new generations. We need to change the rules, create more accessible paths for emerging filmmakers, and build alternative, sustainable models of funding outside the commercial market and highly competitive Western funds.
To make more daring films, more often: We believe in bold, author-driven cinema. But we are producing too few films – sometimes just one every two or three years. We need to increase output to grow creatively and challenge the stagnation of the current scene.
To build a healthier, more connected community: Our work is rooted in presence. We want to foster a stronger, more supportive cultural environment – not only for filmmakers but for the broader community — by telling urgent stories, especially in this difficult historical moment.
The Shell That Echoes the Ocean
What we are testing
Independent Funding Systems
We are exploring new financial models that allow filmmakers to produce films outside traditional commercial constraints. This includes alternative funds, community-supported financing, and international partnerships.
Strengthening Collaboration
Building a network of filmmakers, cultural institutions, and producers to enhance cooperation across borders. Joint productions, co-distribution efforts, and knowledge-sharing initiatives will help strengthen the industry.
Empowering Filmmakers
We provide practical guidance on funding, distribution, and legal knowledge, ensuring that filmmakers have the tools they need to navigate an independent career.
Rethinking Film Festivals
We advocate for transparency and agency for Arab filmmakers in festivals and markets, ensuring that these platforms genuinely serve the region’s artistic and cultural needs.
As we carry out this experiment, we are asking key learning questions:
- How can filmmakers gain more financial and creative independence?
- What alternative funding and distribution models can sustain Arab cinema?
- How can collaboration between filmmakers and cultural institutions strengthen the industry?
- What role could film festivals and global film markets play in supporting Arab cinema?
Meet the team
We are Hassala Collective – a Cairo-based group of filmmakers, half girls and half boys. Six of us are directors, one is an editor, one a cinematographer, one an art director, and one an accountant – which means we can make a film from start to finish entirely on our own. And we often do.
We have been working together for over 14 years, and somewhere along the way, we became a family. Most of the time, we work for free – not out of necessity, but because we deeply believe in supporting one another’s visions.
We make bold, uncompromising films that challenge the commercial film scene in Egypt. Our work is rooted in authorship, risk, and defiance.
We don’t have an office boy – we do everything ourselves. Our workspace is so intimate, we call it my auntie’s house. Every now and then, we open our arms to welcome new team members.
We are impulsive, daring – and proud to be walking a different path together.