The film traces Mohamed Abdallah Draz's journey from his modest roots in Mahallat Diyay to his academic endeavors in Paris.
Egyptian filmmaker Maggie Morgan’s documentary Memoirs of M.A Draz is set for special screenings at the French Institutes in Cairo and Alexandria. The Cairo screening will take place on Thursday, February 6, at 9 pm, followed by a discussion with the film’s executive producer, Noha ElKholy. The following day, the documentary will be shown at the Alexandria branch on Friday, February 7, at 7 pm.
The film offers a deep archival and cultural exploration of Mohamed Abdallah Draz, one of Egypt’s most influential Azharite scholars. Known for his progressive views advocating tolerance and gender equality long before the mainstream feminist movement, Draz remains a significant figure in Islamic history.
Decades after his passing, his great-granddaughter, Noha ElKholy, uncovers a trove of personal letters, diaries and photographs, shedding new light on his journey from the rural village of Mahallat Diyay to Alexandria and, later, Paris, where he pursued scholarly excellence.
Memoirs of M.A Draz had its world premiere at the Aswan International Women’s Film Festival, where it won the Rashida Abdel Salam Award and the EU Prize for Best Euro-Mediterranean Film Addressing Women’s Issues. It has also been featured at the Goethe Film Week in Cairo.
The documentary is directed by Maggie Morgan and written by Taghreed El Asfouri. Noha ElKholy serves as executive producer, with editing by Amgad Shafik and Tamer Abdallah, cinematography by Emad Nabil, a musical score by Khaled Al-Kammar and narration by Sedki Sakhr. MAD Distribution manages the film’s sales in the Arab world, while MAD World oversees international sales.
