The Stories

Synopsis

Egypt, Summer 1967. As the threat of war looms over Egypt, Ahmed receives a letter from Austria - Liz has replied to his search for a pen pal. They begin a long-distance friendship that is viewed with suspicion by his relatives. From this summer onwards, Ahmed’s efforts to become a pianist despite his humble social class will gain an unstoppable momentum, as Liz pushes him towards his elusive goal, a public concert. Together, Ahmed and Liz will live through war, family joys, opposition and dramas, failures and triumphs that rocked Egypt until the 1980s. The Stories is a chronicle of the small victories of a simple family trying to survive a country under the constant threat of change.

Production Facts

"The Stories" is the third feature film by Egyptian director Abu Bakr Shawky, whose debut film "Yomeddine" was in the main competition at Cannes in 2018. His second feature, "Hajjan", premiered at Toronto in 2023.

Starring Amir El-Masry ("Club Zero", "The Night Manager") and Valerie Pachner ("A Hidden Life", "The King’s Man").

The film is written and directed by Abu Bakr Shawky. It is produced by Julie Viez, Cinenovo (France), in co-production with Olivier Guerpillon and Marta Reguera, Fox in the Snow (Sweden), Film i Väst, Mohamed Hefzy, Film Clinic (Egypt), and Alexander Glehr and Johanna Scherz, Film AG (Austria).

Parts of the postproduction are carried out in Västra Götaland.

I huvudrollerna syns Amir El-Masry ("Club Zero", "The Night Manager") och Valerie Pachner ("A Hidden Life", "The King’s Man").

World premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Pimedate Ööde filmifestival, PÖFF) on November 16, 2025.