The Egypt-Denmark-Saudi co-production is produced by Ahmed Amer of Cairo-based A.A. Films and Patricia Drati of Copenhagen-based Good Company Pictures.
Following its Arab World premiere at the El Gouna Film Festival, Yomna Khattab’s introspective debut documentary, 50 Meters, exploring a father-daughter relationship, is set to screen for Cairo audiences starting January 28 at Zawya Cinema in downtown Cairo.
After drawing a strong audience response at its Arab World premiere during the El Gouna Film Festival, Yomna Khattab’s debut documentary 50 Meters is set to reach Cairo audiences with a theatrical run beginning January 28 at Zawya Cinema in downtown Cairo.
The Cairo premiere will take place on January 28 in the presence of the film’s cast and crew, followed by a post-screening discussion with director Yomna Khattab and producer Ahmed Amer. The Q&A session will be moderated by filmmaker Bassam Mortada, offering audiences deeper insight into the film’s creative and personal journey.
The release forms part of CineMAD, a three-month pan-Arab cinema initiative launched by Cairo-based MAD Solutions. The programme aims to bring acclaimed Arab films from the international festival circuit to commercial theaters across the region, expanding their reach beyond festival audiences.
Set against the backdrop of a 50-meter swimming pool, 50 Meters follows Khattab, a first-time filmmaker grappling with the process of making her film. Turning the camera inward, she focuses on her emotionally distant father, using the evolving language of her documentary — including fictionalised scenes and voice-over reflections — as a way to approach him. As the film unfolds, Khattab gradually opens up about her own doubts and vulnerabilities, creating space for reconciliation with her father and clarity about her own life choices.
The documentary has already established a notable presence on the international festival circuit. After its world premiere at the Copenhagen International Documentary Festival in Denmark, the film screened at several prominent festivals, including Mostra de València – Cinema del Mediterrani in Spain, the Oran International Arab Film Festival in Algeria, CINEMED – Montpellier Mediterranean Film Festival in France, the Middle East Now Film Festival in Italy, and the El Gouna Film Festival in Egypt.
An Egyptian-Danish-Saudi co-production, 50 Meters brings together a team of acclaimed collaborators under Khattab’s direction. The film features an original score by award-winning composer Jonas Colstrup, with editing by Gladys Joujou and Khaled Moeit. Production was led by Ahmed Amer of A.A. Films and Patricia Drati of Good Company Pictures. MAD World is handling international sales, while MAD Distribution is overseeing the film’s release across the Middle East and North Africa.
Khattab previously wrote and produced the short film Let Us Play Yesterday, which received the Robert Bosch Film Prize Development Fund in 2021 and premiered at the International Short Film Competition of the El Gouna Film Festival. Her work consistently explores themes surrounding women’s choices, as well as the political, economic, and emotional dynamics shaping modern family life.
