Film info

Creator / Collector

Description
Wadi al-Natrun is an Egyptian city about halfway the desert of Cairo-Alexandria road and is a “depression” i.e. a natural or artificial feature of the solid surface of the Earth sunken or depressed below the surrounding area and lies 23 m below sea level.

The film begins with two women and a little girl who get on a car with Arabic license plates. Next view, the car in a gas station of the company SHELL for fuel supply. A road trip where throughout the journey, we see electric poles in the desert.

A stop at some point in the desert and the little girl runs and plays with her mom. The father shows to the little girl the camera and she looks at the lens. A small bush is filmed, some more views of the little girl’s games with her parents and their friends. Some panoramic views of the area. A man from the group shakes hands with a local.

Afterwards, the two women and the little girl are in the monastery, as the inscription with the cross says above the small door and they ring the bell. A friend who speaks Arabic was kind enough to translate the text for us, under the caption: "This is the door of God and the faithful enter it.”

General views from the monastery complex, for which the area is known, a monk gives a tour to the group and from the bell tower we realise that we are in Monastery of Saint Pishoy, building of the 4th century which is the most famous monastery of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria .

We watch the domes and bell towers of the five churches that monastery has, palm trees and other trees in the gardens, as well as ascetic cells.

We see a couple who takes a commemorative photo with a monk, the exit from the monastery, the little girl who rings the bell as the hermits see out the group.

Coordinates

Film Information

Holder
Filippou Michail

Quality
HD (1440x1080)

Sound
No

Color
No

Duration (seconds)
404

Format
8mm