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Clash 15 rating

Mohamed Diab’s Clash is an unforgettable portrait of Egypt on the brink as rival protesters find themselves locked up in a police van. Un Certain Regard official selection at Cannes 2016.

Thriller 2016 94 mins

Director: Mohamed Diab

Overview

Mohamed Diab confirms his status as Egypt’s foremost cultural commentator with Clash, a masterful depiction of a society torn apart by its differences. Set in 2013, after mass protests saw the ruling Muslim Brotherhood thrown out of power by the army, Clash unfolds almost entirely within the claustrophobic confines of a police van as rival demonstrators find themselves caught in impossibly stifling heat. From this simple set-up, Diab weaves a striking story of scale, ambition and pure cinematic verve, pulling off a remarkable feat; a road movie about confinement.

The film’s surprisingly strong performance at the Egyptian box office is testament to its power to move and enthral, leaving audiences breathless with a magnificent denouement that artfully evokes the faultlines in the Arab world’s most populous nation.