HNIFF 2025
Soft Coos of Forgotten Neighbors
Directed by Mairam Atallah · Egypt · 10 min · short · narrative
In the suburbs of Cairo, Ahmed, a former groundskeeper, hides in the second-floor pigeon loft of his unaware employer. As they both care for the pigeons, an inevitable confrontation reveals deep class tensions and Ahmed’s yearning for dignity and recognition.
This film's screening window has ended.
From the director
‘Soft Coos of Forgotten Neighbors’ emerged from my desire to explore the quiet, often overlooked dynamics of classism in Egyptian society. Set in Cairo’s suburbs, this short delves into the lives of two people from completely different classes coexisting under the same roof, yet worlds apart.
The inspiration for this film is rooted in my own experiences growing up in an upper-middle-class household in Egypt. Surrounded by groundskeepers, I often wondered about their inner worlds, how it felt to live so close to a life of relative privilege, constantly aware of the divide between their circumstances and those they served.
At its core, the film examines how proximity to privilege without participation can intensify the struggle for identity and dignity. It subtly portrays the gestures of defiance used by the underprivileged side to reclaim agency, symbolizing a deeper desire for equality and empowerment.
