Egypt, A Love Song + Q&A with Iris Zaki

synopsis

Souad Zaki was a famous Jewish Arabic singer in 1940s Egypt, starred in films alongside Umm Kulthum and became famous all over the Arab world. She married to a renowned Muslim musician Mohamed Elakkad, with whom she had a son. After Mohammed abandoned her with their child, Souad fled to Israel, where she was consigned to live a poor life. Souad's granddaughter, Iris Zaki, brings her tempestuous story to life in a sweeping project that crosses cultures, religions and cinematic form - marrying scripted period scenes and rare archival materials with an intimate father-daughter documentary journey, exploring a family's complex identity.