Egypt has selected director Abu Bakr Shawky’s drama “The Stories” as its entry for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film for the 99th Oscars. The film stars British-Egyptian actor Amir El-Masry, who plays an aspiring Egyptian concert pianist.
According to outlet reports, the story is set against Egypt’s turbulent period from the late 1960s through the 1980s. Variety adds that the film is inspired by the director’s own family history, depicting how Shawky’s Egyptian father and Austrian mother begin their relationship through pen pals. Deadline similarly describes the film’s focus on an aspiring pianist and the broader historical context in Egypt.
Both sources frame the selection as Egypt’s submission to the international-feature category, which is then reviewed by the Academy alongside entries from other countries. The reports do not indicate Egypt’s selection process details or whether the film has already received additional international festival recognition.
