Ali Ali’s SMOKEY EYES set to compete at 5th Amman International Film Festival

Ali Ali’s short Egyptian thriller SMOKEY EYES will be making its Jordanian debut this summer at the fifth edition of the Amman International Film Festival – Awal Film (AIFF) — to be held from July 3rd to the 11th in the Jordanian capital — where the film will be competing in the festival’s Arab Short Films Competition.

SMOKEY EYES world premiered at the Red Sea International Film Festival and dives into the aftermath of the 2011 Egyptian uprising, highlighting ongoing social issues such as police brutality, religious tensions, and restricted freedoms for women.

The thriller — which marks Egyptian rapper Marwan Moussa’s acting debut — follows Nour, who, despite her meticulous planning for a date, unforeseen circumstances derail her romantic outing in the restless streets of nighttime Cairo.

Starring Malak Bazid, Marwan Moussa, Hassan Abouelrouss, Nourine Abouseada, and Mohamed Aboughali, SMOKEY EYES was directed by Ali Ali, written by Nancy Ali, lensed by Pierre Mouarkech, and edited by Nada Zag. The film was produced by Khaled Zaki of Good People Films, with the soundtrack composed by Sary Hany.

MAD World handles the film’s worldwide sales while MAD Distribution handles the film’s distribution in the Arab-speaking region.

Ali Ali is an Egyptian film director and co-founder of Good People Films who transitioned from being a computer engineer to pursuing his passion for storytelling through film.

After obtaining a degree in art direction from Miami-Ad-School, he made his directorial debut in advertising with the popular NEVER SAY NO TO PANDA ad, which amassed 100m YouTube views and earned him the prestigious Gold Lion Award at Cannes.

Throughout his career, Ali has garnered numerous accolades, including four coveted Yellow Pencils in Direction from London’s D&AD and over eight Gold Lions from Cannes.

He has also served as the President of the Direction Jury at London’s D&AD Awards in 2020, a member of the Film Jury at Cannes Lions International Festival in 2023, and has been recognized as one of the Ten Most Influential Advertising Directors in the World Today by Adweek and the Gunn Report.

SMOKEY EYES marks Ali’s impressive directorial debut.