In the words of Esraa Ezz El Din: “The workshops taught me how to use art to understand people and tell their stories authentically”

Esraa Ezz El Din, 36, is a graduate of the Faculty of Specific Education, Department of Arts Education, at Assiut University. She began her journey as a visual artist before discovering a new passion for filmmaking, where she found a broader space to express her ideas and emotions.

After years of searching for artistic opportunities outside Assiut Governorate, the Aswan Cinema Workshops became a defining turning point in her journey. The experience helped her strengthen her filmmaking skills while also showing her that she could pursue her passion from within her own governorate. Through the workshops, she connected with fellow film enthusiasts from Assiut, gradually building a network for collaboration and future creative projects.

The workshops were held between February and April 2026 as part of the partnership between UN Women Egypt and the European Union, in cooperation with the Aswan International Women Film Festival (AIWFF).

“Throughout my years as a student, art was an important part of my life. After graduating, I worked as an art teacher at a local school, as I was among the top students in my class. Although the job offered stability, I dreamed of creating my own work and expressing myself more freely. That is why, I decided to leave my job and move to Cairo in 2017 to pursue visual arts full-time.

At first, it was difficult for my family to understand that decision. But as time passed and after I received local and international awards, they began to realize that art could be a legitimate and successful career. During that period, I found myself increasingly drawn to filmmaking because it gave me an even wider space for self-expression.

To me, visual arts and cinema are closely connected. I see a film frame as a work of art, only one that moves. After participating in a directing workshop in Cairo in 2023, I knew that filmmaking was the path I wanted to continue pursuing.

When I returned to Assiut, however, I realized that working in film was not easy. Opportunities were limited, and filmmaking was still unfamiliar to many people in the community. Even finding filming locations [within Assiut Governorate] could be difficult because awareness of the field was limited. That motivated me to look for opportunities to continue growing professionally without leaving my governorate.

I came across the announcement for the new round of filmmaking workshops on social media and immediately decided to apply. What attracted me most was that the experience was not simply a theoretical training course. It was a practical learning journey, beginning with idea development and scriptwriting, moving through directing, and ending with hands-on experience on set.

We started with scriptwriting sessions, developing our ideas step by step. The trainers closely followed our progress and provided valuable feedback that helped strengthen our work. Gradually, I began to understand how a written script becomes a visual story. We then moved into production, where we applied what we had learned under the guidance and support of the trainers.

At the end of the workshops, I had the opportunity to screen my short film, which also competed in the “Workshop Film Competition” during the 10th edition of the Aswan International Women Film Festival.

The film, titled “My Dear Anger,” was developed with a group of fellow participants. Throughout the production process, I took on both the screenwriting and directing roles. Through this experience, I discovered new abilities within myself as a writer. I created worlds, characters and events that I had never imagined I could develop. It was then that I realized the extraordinary power of art to transform complex emotions into living stories that resonate with people and help them see their own experiences from a different perspective.

This understanding deepened even further during the “Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment” sessions that were part of the workshops. Before these sessions, I looked at certain issues rather superficially. The discussions opened my eyes to my true role as an artist. The workshops did not just teach me how to direct a film; they taught me how to use art as a tool to understand people and tell their stories and experiences authentically.

I became convinced that art can touch people’s emotions and influence them deeply without imposing a direct message, making it easier for audiences to connect with the stories being told and reflect on their own experiences.

Beyond their artistic and intellectual impact, the workshops offered something else that was equally important. Although I already had an artistic background, what I was truly missing was a network of people who shared my passion. Through the workshops, I discovered talented actors/actresses, directors, and filmmakers within my own community, all of whom had remarkable creativity and potential.

Before this experience, I believed that I was the only person struggling to find artistic opportunities in Assiut, and that traveling elsewhere was the only solution. But once I got to know the other participants, I realized that many people were facing the same challenges while working individually, often without even knowing that others shared the same ambitions.

Together, we came to understand that we do not have to leave Assiut to create the art we believe in. Over time, we stayed connected and built relationships that have grown into a network of people interested in filmmaking in Assiut, opening the door to future collaboration and creative projects.

Participating in AIWFF was also a unique experience because it gave me access to a diverse range of films that were not available to us in Assiut. The experience broadened my understanding of the impact art can have on people’s lives and reinforced the importance of making culture accessible to everyone. That is why I hope to see more cinemas and film screenings in my city. Access to these spaces can open new opportunities for young people interested in arts and provide opportunities to learn, find inspiration, and grow without having to travel.

My message to every young person aspiring to enter this field is that self-awareness is the foundation of any meaningful artistic work. The deeper we understand ourselves and the people around us, the more capable we become of creating authentic work that inspires others and reflects their realities, experiences, and stories.”