Yomeddine review: A.B. Shawky directs this notable competition entry at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival – a road tale of poverty and family lost and gained.
Yommedine review by Paul Heath.
Yomeddine review
If we were to attempt to crudely sum-up this notable debut feature from Egyptian filmmaker A.B. Shawky, we’d say it was a road movie reminiscent of David Lynch’s The Straight Story, crossed with the sentiment on display in the Oscar-baited Lion from a couple of years ago, though to do so doesn’t quite nail the narrative of Yomeddine, which plays in-competition as part of the official line-up at Cannes 2018.
At the start of Yomeddine, we meet Beshay (Rady Gemal) – a man who has obviously suffered with leprosy during his lifetime, though is now completely cured, though heavily scarred. He spends his days in a colony of fellow sufferers, trawling the local garbage dump for hidden treasures which he’s able to sell off to dealers in the local town. He’s married, though we soon discover that his wife has been committed to a local mental hospital where she gets continuous treatment. He’s also a figure well-known around town, a bit of a ‘character’, and accepted with how he is and indeed how he looks. He has befriended a group of children in the local orphanage, in particular a young boy named Obama (an impressive Ahmed Abdelhaflz). In the opening scenes, his wife tragically passes away and he is immediately visited by her estranged mother. Deserted by his family years previously, and now left completely alone, Beshay grabs the few belongings he has, loads them onto a creaky cart pulled along by his trusty donkey and sets off on the long journey across the country in an attempt to locate his own long-lost relatives, to find a little humanity, and to ultimately find a place of belonging.
Yomeddine review
The words feel-good movie and Cannes seldom go together, but Shawky’s debut film, one which has impressively landed a spot in the official selection at the 71st festival, is one that could be described in that way. Hope, belonging and family are other, frequent themes that drip from this year’s line-up and regardless of a slightly plodding narrative, which takes more than the first act to get-into, this film is far from one that traipses down a clichéd, well-worn road.
Related: Everybody Knows review [Cannes]
The two, top-billed actors, newcomers Gemal and Abdelhaflz, are exceptional – two characters extremely well written and performed. We don’t overly buy into their particular circumstances emotionally, but we’re more than willing to travel down their road with them.
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Shawky, along with cinematographer Federico Cesca, who delivered the remarkable photography on one of last year’s Cannes stand-outs Patti Cake$, bring some impressive visuals to this production, the sun-drenched vistas of Egypt brought to the screen in stunning fashion.
While the resolution of the movie may be predictable and slightly over-egged, one can’t help but leave the auditorium after watching it glowing with positivity for the world and the many characters that fill it. There is also a positive message to take away, once again revolving around that repeating Cannes 2018 subject of family, but another of never judging anyone by their exterior image. This delighted us in more ways than one, and although far from perfect should put Shawky on the map as one to watch in the future, as his road is certainly shining confidently brighter following this notable Cannes competition debut.
Yomeddine review by Paul Heath, May 2018.
Yomeddine was reviewed at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
