East of Noon presents an allegorical take on the dichotomy of control and freedom, which affords the freedom to speak of what could not be spoken of otherwise. The story unfolds in two spaces: East32, a sandy enclave situated in an industrial ruin; and the Sea, a fluid landscape and simultaneously a longed for state of freedom. How do you imagine the sea when you have never seen it?

The characters embody a core personal question: How is hope kept alive in a grim reality? They struggle with fear in quest for a freedom that is instinctive, but ill-defined, with a hovering dilemma: can one stay clean in a dirty world?

It is the young artist Abdo who most longs for freedom. His character is inspired by many real doppelgangers in Egypt and the Arab region. His music is his saviour. The stories of his grandmother Jalala provide further relief from the hopeless reality, but also perpetuate the status quo, reflecting the complex relationship of art to authority.

AFK and Mondriaan Fund supported the research for East of Noon.

>  <   Cast & Crew

>  <   Extra