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‘Aisha Can’t Fly Away’ Review: Buliana Simon Stuns in Morad Mostafa’s Intriguing if Uneven Immigrant Tale
Although his blend of drama and body horror doesn’t always work, Morad Mostafa still delivers a worthwhile and visually accomplished debut feature.
Residing as an immigrant in the bustling city of Cairo, in the tough neighborhood of Ain Shams (where Mostafa has spent his childhood and teenage years, and therefore captures with an insider’s lens), she is often observing and narrowly surviving the disorder and violence that erupt in the streets. Despite his iffy handle on mixing tones and genres, Mostafa nevertheless steers the layered and chaotic world of “Aisha Can’t Fly Away” with a painterly lens, thankfully avoiding a sense of visual romanticization in the midst of her lead’s dire circumstances. Crowded sidewalks, dusty roads and a densely populated city spread out in the background, while cinematographer Mostaga El Kashef stays close to Aisha’s face, underscoring her silent perceptiveness.
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