Last night at the Third Line gallery in Dubai, New York-based Egyptian artist Youssef Nabil debuted his short film and exhibition I Saved My Belly Dancer starring Hollywood actress Salma Hayek and French actor Tahar Rahim. The exhibition, which will run until March 5th, consists of a 12-minute film that depicts an anecdote of the 1950’s golden age of Egyptian cinema and Nabil’s relationship with his native country. The story unfolds to showcase a man sleeping (Rahim) who is approached by the last remaining belly dancer (Hayek); she then dances for him her last dance, reassuring him that not all is lost before he takes her away to the American desert. The video conveys a sense of reminisce and displacement of an art form that was once unique in the Middle East. Inspired by Egyptian movie posters from the ‘50s, also on display at the exhibition are photographic stills from the film featuring Nabil’s signature technique of hand-coloring black and white photographs.
I Saved My Belly Dancer exhibition will run until March 5th at The Third Line, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai.
