Scheherazade, Tell Me a Story (احكي يا شهرزاد)

Kamel Abou Ali presents

a film written by Wahid Hamed directed by Yousry Nasrallah

Scheherazade, Tell Me a Story

Mona Zakki (Hebba)

Mahmoud Hemeida (Adham)

Sawsan Badr (Amany)

Hassan El Raddad (Karim)

Hussein El Imam (Ahmad Fadlallah)

Rihab Al-Gamal (Safaa)

Nesrine Amine (Wafaa)

Nahed El-Sebai (Hanaa)

Sanaa Akroud (Nahed)

Mohamed Ramadane (Said Lightfoot)

Fatma (Salma)

Costume Designer Dina Nadeem

Art Director Mohamed Atteya

Music Tamer Karawan

Editor Mona Rabi

Cinematographer Samir Bahsan

Producer Kamel Abou Ali

Written by Wahid Hamed

Directed by Yousry Nasrallah

There are no doors!

Why blame the government for every disaster?

My dear Hebba. Just tell me one thing...

Is it the government that asks people to use wrecked ships

and drown while trying to flee the country?

These people left the country

illegally

and secretly...

- This by itself is a crime. - Please, Sir...

What drives people to misfortune, if not an even greater misfortune?

Unemployment, poverty and corruption.

The same reasons behind extremism and terrorism.

No, no...

People have drowned, haven't they?

Yes they have.

The question is: Why?

It's obvious.

Hey there!

Karim!

- Admiring your beauty on TV? - Sorry, I woke you up.

I can't sleep when you're not next to me...

What woke you up?

A bad dream.

Oh, God!

It must be stress.

Right.

I know how to make you unwind...

We just have enough time to answer some calls...

Here is a call from Upper-Egypt.

Mrs Hebba. I am just asking your guest for some understanding.

He must be aware that we are facing big problems.

No one's ambition is to be CEO...

All we need are jobs that allow us to live a decent life.

I still think that

laziness,

greed

and lack of gratitude

are the real motives behind illegal immigration.

We have a proverb that says: "A cat never runs from a feast."

Hebba...

I thought we were talking about people, not about cats.

And about hyenas...

The President regularly reads your editorials.

He appreciates your objectivity.

I am greatly honored.

My writings reflect my true beliefs.

You've heard that we intend to appoint new editors-in-chief.

We keep hearing rumors, but...

Listen. Timing is very important...

And assigning a new editor-in-chief

is a very delicate matter.

Of course, Hilal Bey.

Many factors have to be considered.

How are you?

Very well, thank you.

- And how is your charming wife? - She's fine.

What do you think about her talk-show on...?

Al Chams (Sun TV). Frankly, it's not a great show.

- So you watch the show? - Not regularly.

And what do you tell your wife?

I sometimes compliment her...

You do?

But generally, I criticise the negative aspects of her show...

The whole show is negative. All of it.

Is she really not aware of who is behind that network?

It seems I'll have to divorce her. Although I love her.

No... We wouldn't want you to do that.

Just get her to calm down a bit...

If you know what I mean...

Daily Newspaper "Our Country"

I bring you good tidings...

Tell us all about it.

I had a vision...

I went to the mosque at dawn. Then went back to sleep at home.

And the vision is that you are to become editor-in-chief.

May God make it true.

My dear friend... I have an important call to make.

Please sit down, Mr Mustafa.

Great tidings...

Was it just editor-in-chief

or did you see him become

general manager too?

Please, these are just dreams...

Aren't they, Mr Fahim?

- Hi, Inji. - He's expecting you.

Good morning, Ahmad Bey.

Good morning, Karim.

Karim, please open the shades to let in some of God's light?

By the way... Congratulations.

What's the occasion, Ahmad Bey?

I heard that you've become editor-in-chief...

in a dream.

A colleague had a dream... Dreams, Ahmad Bey.

But you liked that dream. Didn't you?

Superstitions. You believe in that?

Nowadays, do dreams come true?

May God grant your colleague even sweeter dreams.

Son, you should know that I nominate my successor.

Are you waiting for something?

See you later, sir.

Darling.

Of course, I care about your career.

I'd make you chief-of-state, not just editor-in-chief.

No. Anything, but chief of state...

Great. Anything... but far away from me.

What do you mean?

Do you allow anyone to tell you what and what not to write?

Constantly. It's very normal.

To make concessions?

To be careful...

The deal was not to interfere with each other's work. Wasn't it?

Just a few easy shows. Fun...

Light...

Sweet...

He practically told me this morning.

- Who is "he"? - The "Puppetmaster": Hilal Bey.

Just for a few weeks.

Stop talking about those who drowned, those who burned...

who were buried alive...

and all those poor people who have nothing to eat...

What's more. People are fed up with those stories.

Right.

Your right.

People are fed up with the press...

TV, smoked salmon, caviar and all that crappy luxury...

You're absolutely right. honey.

I'm only asking you to calm down

for a few weeks.

What's at stake is your future...

and mine.

My future?

Let's talk about yours.

The future of a great journalist.

With real readers, many readers,

who respect your opinion

and love you.

Better...

than...

a hundred editors-in-chief...

who write garbage...

You've got it all wrong.

This country works differently...

The future here, is for those who hold a government position...

Big. Small. It doesn't make a difference.

Just look around you...

Business-men run after a position

for protection.

As for success...

which is your domain...

it is something different...

Success is like this lamp...

A single click on a button, and...

Please... help me.

Hebba. You and your husband aren't two jockeys in a horse race.

Frankly. Your marriage is more important than your career.

Why can't they be equally important?

Stop talking like a woman who's never worked her life.

I love him. But he's choking me.

He hasn't asked you to help him rob a bank, has he?

Just a few light, fun shows...

Better than to have your entire show banned, isn't it?

Try to be less aggressive, until the editors-in-chief are nominated.

You've been married seven months. And its your second marriage.

A separation between you and Karim, will be bad for your reputation.

That's Hebba Younes?

Madame, your show is the talk of the town.

- Alex! How are you? - In heaven when I see you, Madame.

I'm sure she's had...

at least five face-jobs.

I can't see why people like her?

Maybe her brains?

Salma!

Yes, Monsieur Alex.

Take care of Madame Hebba.

- Salma? Like Hayek? - Prettier. If you ask me.

Tell it to a film-producer. Alex...

It's a great honor to serve you, Madame...

- You got the new Chanel products? - We've had them since last week.