“Blending humour with tragedy is always a very Egyptian trait”: Abu Bakr Shawky on The Stories at Red Sea International Film Festival 2025

Our conversation with Abu Bakr Shawky, director of The Stories and known for his diverse cinematic approaches, proved to be very interesting.

Shawky discussed with The Upcoming how the film, though deeply personal and inspired by his parents’ love story, is also a mix of real facts and fiction. It portrays a family, specifically following aspiring pianist Ahmed and his Austrian pen-pal Liz as their long-distance friendship and shared ambition endure through war, family drama, and societal opposition in Egypt from the 1960s to the 1980s, all set against the backdrop of a changing nation. He told us about his unique style, which blends the grand Egyptian spectacles of the 1950s and 60s with the cinematic sensibilities of the 1990s; his eyes lit up when he emphasised the crucial role of pop culture in reflecting social changes, and he concluded by highlighting the powerful oral heritage of family storytelling. 

Laura Della Corte

The Stories does not have a release date yet.