Nawara
A working-class domestic worker becomes an unwitting witness to the promises and upheavals of Egypt’s 2011 revolution.
Overview
A woman's daily journey reveals the stark contrasts of life and the unexpected changes that come with a revolution.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- empathetic
- quietly tense
- reflective evening
- social cinema night
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Nawara repeatedly travels between the alleys of her neighborhood and the villas of a luxury compound.
The spring of 2011 brings an unexpected change into Nawara’s working life and social world.
Nawara carries the worries and modest dreams of her neighborhood into the privileged household where she works.
The film’s recurring path links poor alleys, roads, and gated villas while marking social boundaries.
Films like Nawara, and why
The Housemaid
social realism, class inequality, and a woman navigating entrenched economic power
The Square
political upheaval filtered through intimate working-class lives and moral pressure
Capernaum
empathetic social drama centered on poverty, dignity, and constrained choices
Movie Details
- Director
- Hala Khalil
- Release Date
- 2016-03-23
- Runtime
- 122 min
- Rating
- 8.0 / 10 (18)
Cast
- Menna Shalabi
- Mahmoud Hemida
- Amir Salah
- Sherine Reda
- Abbas Abu Elhassan
- Ahmad Rateb
- Ragaa Hussein
- Rahma Hassan
- Ahmad Magdy
- Shaima Saif
Common questions
- What is Nawara about?
- A working-class domestic worker becomes an unwitting witness to the promises and upheavals of Egypt’s 2011 revolution.
- What is Nawara like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Nawara as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Nawara violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Nawara.
- Which films are like Nawara?
- Films with a similar feel include The Housemaid, The Square, and Capernaum.
- How long is Nawara?
- Nawara runs 122 minutes.
