Capital

What’s the link between “white telephone” films, precursors of Mussolini’s propaganda cinema, and the construction of new cities in Egypt? Palestinian artist Basma al-Sharif’s answer is a satirical, even grotesque film, with references to geography and political history. A woman on the receiver of a white telephone is seduced by a male voice promoting new apartments for sale. A ventriloquist (played by artist Diego Marcon) makes puns. These scenes alternate with commercials for luxury residential complexes. The film’s title refers to the colossal project for a new Egyptian capital, planned during the 1970s.