Cinema of the Dam'd is proud to present Women's Work, an ongoing series of recent films by emerging female directors. This month, we highlight visual artist Hala Elkoussy's moving debut feature Cactus Flower (2017).

After a flood in their apartment block, struggling actress Aida (Salma Samy) and her 70-year-old neighbor Samiha (Menha Batraoui) suddenly find themselves homeless. Joined by their friend Yassin (Marwan Alazab), the women roam the streets of Cairo seeking shelter. Along the way, they must confront the past and discover the value of friendship. Cactus Flower is the poetic and hopeful debut feature by Netherlands-based Egyptian visual artist Hala Elkoussy. "Balancing magical realism with wistful drama, this tender film is given heart and soul thanks to (its) lead performances,' wrote critic Mark Adams at the Dubai International Film Festival where Batraoui won the Best Actress award. Watch the trailer.

Directed by Hala Elkoussy, 2017, Egypt/Norway/UAE/Qatar, 104 minutes. In Arabic w/ English subtitles.

€5 entry