PIONEERING SAT-7 PRESENTER HONOURED AT CANNES FILM FESTIVAL
From the dusty streets of rural Egypt to the red carpet of one of the world’s most famous film festivals, the journey of SAT-7 presenter Youstina Samir is one to be celebrated.
When Youstina set up an all-female street theatre troupe in a village in southern Egypt ten years ago, she could never have imagined the doors it would open for her and for other young Arab women.
SAT-7 first met Youstina when visiting her village to film the pilot of women’s program Today Not Tomorrow. Her talent was clear, and she was invited to become a presenter on the show and appeared in the very first episode. She has been on our screens now for two years as well as serving the ministry off screen.
Now, a powerful documentary about Youstina’s Panorama Barsha theatre troupe made by other local filmmakers has gained international acclaim. The Brink of Dreams won the Golden Eye Award at the Cannes Film Festival’s Critic’s Week, which honours the world’s up-and-coming filmmakers. Youstina and her young team of street performers were flown out to France for the festival last month in what she described as “a dream” experience.
But, as Youstina explained during a recent interview with SAT-7 on her return from Cannes, there have been “many obstacles and difficulties” on her road to success.
“WE WERE TAUNTED”
Like so many great stories, it all started with a bold idea. “I wanted our voice as girls to be heard, to express ourselves, to get people to listen to us, hear about our problems, and feel for us.” Youstina explained. “Because we love art, we decided to create a street theatre troupe… the idea was spontaneous.”
But in a rural Arab culture where women are expected to stay home – and stay quiet – the idea of an all-female street theatre group provoked much negativity and criticism from Youstina’s neighbours.
“We were taunted with insults and had so much pressure, it was very difficult. [Members of the community] used to say, ‘Their parents failed at raising them’, and ‘They just want attention because no one notices them.’ There were a lot of harsh comments. But thank God, we persisted, and we were encouraged to continue.”
Youstina described the recognition they received at Cannes as “a moment of compensation, comfort and joy” for all the opposition they had to overcome. Standing on the famous red carpet, Youstina said, “All I could think of was the journey of our team and how far we’d come. All the girls were surprised and bursting with joy.”
Panorama Barsha’s success has gone a long way towards changing local attitudes, too, and they were welcomed back from Cannes to their village with pride and celebration.
RAISING WOMEN’S VOICES
Youstina sees a synergy between the theatre troupe and her work with SAT-7’s Today Not Tomorrow program. Both travel around to different rural locations in Egypt to connect directly with their audiences, and both are aiming to bring freedom to girls and women who face many restrictions. “The topics [on Today Not Tomorrow] are liberating, open-minded, and free,” Youstina says. “Same idea in the street theatre; we talk freely.”
Youstina feels that her work with SAT-7 is strengthening her street performances. “This program made me more daring,” she shared. “It gave me more ideas and the ability to see different needs. What I say on TV, why not say it in the street? I became more courageous, not afraid to discuss topics. [Working for SAT-7] made a big difference in my theatre group and in me personally.”
As Youstina continues to work as a presenter on Today Not Tomorrow, she wants more women’s voices to be heard. Her own story shows how people will listen if you keep speaking. “I always feel that if I don’t talk about myself, no-one will talk about me. That’s why I always talk about myself and about the girls of Upper Egypt… Our impact is that we talk about our own feelings and what represents us,” she said.
Youstina is certainly a pioneer in her community. With Today Not Tomorrow, she became the only presenter speaking with a southern Egyptian accent on any TV channel in Egypt, and she is proud to represent her community. And with The Brink of Dreams, her troupe was the focus of the first Egyptian documentary to win the Golden Eye Award.
Vivian Mitry, Youstina’s co-presenter on Today Not Tomorrow, said, “We hope to see not just Youstina and her friends succeeding, but to have more examples of women and girls who work together to achieve their dreams. This is what we would like to spread in our program, Today Not Tomorrow. We need to support the girls and women and not silence them.”