Asmaa

Asmaa is an impoverished Egyptian diagnosed with HIV, faced with the injustice of an unaware society that views the disease as a guaranteed death warrant. It does not stop there: Asmaa is also a women, making her journey much harder to endure.

All we really know about "Asmaa" is that its an attempt to tackle a long forgotten and dismissed taboo in Egypt. But tackling a taboo through a set of clichés will likely annoy viewers (like myself) and have a reverse effect.

The basis of the story gave the writer a excellent opportunity to expand and dig deep into the social, economic and political repercussions and consequences faced by HIV patients in Egypt.

The 96 minutes running time might have been the biggest flaw and dealt a fatal blow to the film, which suffered from a script that ineffectively blends together too many stories and ends up under developing each and every one of them.

Worn out clichés hurt the film badly. And example of this is the common and quite predictable television interview scene which has become the preferred alternative for a writer who is struggling creatively and stuck on a screenplay. ["Add in television interview scene." - "Add a shot of people staring at their TV stations as they watch the show." - Cut to: flashbacks scenes.] Sorry, but we have seen it before!

Story and writing-wise, her marriage story was so dull and uninteresting, it bored me (and lost my attention) by the second flashback. Likewise, her family and daughter storyline was insufficiently developed, leaving us with many unanswered question, and at times in utter confusion.

If there was ever a streak of genius in the movie, it was the lost opportunity to concentrate on group therapy sessions. There was so much (lost) potential there and regrettably, none were tackled appropriately. Instead, the writer left us with a few repetitive, uninspiring lines and little knowledge of how the disease actually affected the lives of the people we are listening to (or even Asmaa herself!).

Maged El Kedwany was undoubtedly the only attention-grabbing exciting character this movie produced. Too bad it was damaged by the tired and overused TV interview storyline.

Overall, at times I felt I was watching 678 with HIV replacing sexual harassment. Although Asmaa is mildly better than the mediocre 678, it suffers from much of the same weaknesses: an underdeveloped and weak screenplay and overacting (hint: Hend Sabry).

★★/★★★★

Always high expectations makes it harder to reach but before going to the movies theater to watch this movie I guaranty that You will get a feeling during and after the end ,that feeling when You see a good movie and You want it never ends and after it that feeling that there is a hope ,It's not just a story of someone suffer from a disease accepting and living with it alone but It's about someone suffer from the negativity of the society and the way the people deals .. all Actors specially Hend Sabry and Maged El Kedwani did a great job ,the directing was so professionally I'm really Proud of Him and I'll wait for he's next movie ..

Painful as the severity of this disease, a wonderful plot and a perfect performance from the movie's heroes. The director's cinematography choices were annoying at the beginning of the film, but the story and narration of events justified them. The most studied flashback in Egyptian cinema. Hind is a genius and Maged El Kedwany is the jewel in the crown. It seems that the director studied the aids more than the specialists, and presented a masterpiece that is still relevant despite the passage of time. May God have mercy on the real character of the original story and accept him into eternal paradise.

When you find out this movie is about an HIV positive woman, you expect a depressing movie. But when you actually watch this film, you get positive energy, optimism, and a wonderful feeling. This is cinema as it should be: wonderfully written and beautifully directed. The lead actors are amazing. Hind Sabry is more believable as a lower class woman than so many Egyptian actresses. Kedwany's performance is a treat. The cinematography, the music, and art direction are all top class. The way the story is structured with the back and forth movement through the timeline keeps you on your toes all the time, with an amazing surprise twist at the end. All in all, an amazing film that is a must see.

This film is just as uplifting as it is tragic. Amr Salama brings up HIV/AIDS in a society that typically shunned or turned a blind eye to the issue. A woman contracting HIV, in a conservative community that associates the disease with either a sexually transmitted infection from an extra marital affair or drug use injection, has to deal with not only what the disease is doing to her body, but also with the way people will punish her if they found out she has it. This poignant drama promises an honest perspective into the Egyptian culture and the average Egyptian's perspective on such delicate and taboo issues.

Although it may be a long road ahead, Salama definitely helped raise awareness and maybe even recede the social stigma associated with HIV/AIDS in some way. A beautiful performance by Hend Sabry was able to evoke empathy and compassion towards people with the disease in a ruthless community that can't help but look down on them. This is a must-see, and if you think it might be too depressing for your taste, don't worry. Maged ElKedwany's equally brilliant performance will either downright crack you up or at least put a smile on your face a few times throughout the movie. Have fun!