Renowned director Ahmed Wahba has unveiled his latest artistic endeavour, a thought-provoking short film entitled “Hypocrisy: A Two-Faced Lens.” Collaborating with artist Yasmina El-Abd and composer Mohamed Nawara, this five-minute film highlights the grave injustices endured by the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation. Its primary aim is to raise public awareness about the Palestinian struggle while unmasking the Western world’s hypocrisy and double standards in dealing with global issues, particularly in contrast to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Through poignant silent scenes meticulously captured in a single take, the film effectively conveys powerful messages about the prevailing hypocrisy. This filmmaking approach not only showcases the exceptional talents of the crew and cast but also adds a profound dramatic dimension to the narrative.
Director Ahmed Wahba expressed his satisfaction with the collaboration, stating, “Working once again with composer Mohamed Nawara and the talented Yasmina El-Abd has been a delight. This project holds special significance as it delves into the Palestinian issue and the profound suffering endured by its people. It artistically exposes the double standards adopted by certain Western countries, who handle these two causes in starkly contrasting ways. Through the film, I sought to capture this disparity using the challenging ‘one shot take’ technique, which grants greater depth to the overall narrative.”
Yasmina El-Abd, the young artist who plays the lead role in the film, expressed her pleasure at being chosen for this project alongside a skilled crew. Despite the brevity of the film, she acknowledged the greater difficulty of conveying emotions through facial expressions rather than dialogue. Embracing the director’s “one shot take” approach presented a personal challenge for her, which she aimed to execute flawlessly. El-Abd expressed her hopes of revisiting such experiences in the future, while also emphasizing her desire for the film to resonate with audiences.
Composer Mohamed Nawara shared his enthusiasm for the project from its inception, driven by a desire to create a musical score that harmoniously blended Arab and Western musical elements. Incorporating traditional Eastern instruments like the Ney and Qanun, Nawara seamlessly merged these influences with Western music. Recognizing that the actors’ facial expressions are the true heroes of the film, he ensured the accompanying musical score complemented the nature of the film, its humanitarian cause, and its intended message.
In a deliberate decision, the creators of “Hypocrisy: A Two-Faced Lens” opted to share their film through social media platforms rather than entering it into film festivals, as they firmly believe that the message conveyed deserves a global audience.
By utilizing the widespread reach of social media, they aim to ensure that the film’s powerful message reaches as many people as possible, enabling a wider awareness of the double standards exposed within. Their choice reflects a conviction that this thought-provoking work deserves to be seen by the world.It is worth noting that “Hypocrisy: A Two-Faced Lens” represents the second collaboration between director Ahmed Wahba and composer Mohamed Nawara. Their previous joint work was the music video “Ayyam” for artist Wael El-Fashny, directed by Project Wahba, featuring music and lyrics by Mohamed Nawara.