Today, Al Masry Documentary Films is being born. With the Multimedia
department producing its first long documentary film “Reporting… A
Revolution”, the department’s potential is being noticed by Al Masry
Reporting…A Revolution
However, this was not all planned, or even imagined, when
it all started back in 2008.
The first multimedia department in an Egyptian newsroom started back in2008 . After training more than 100 reporter and photojournalist in and outside
Cairo, now an influx of more than 4 hours of footage daily come in
Between 2008 and 2011, the  department succeeded in
exposing social, economic, political and human stories bringing them to
public debate while most of times influencing decision making and public
opinion. “Deadly Waters”, 10 minutes investigative video tracing how
polluted drinking water in a city outside Cairo killed hundreds of residents
due to kidney failure including 3 members of one poor family. Reporters
were able to prove, on video, that a state owned sugar factory was
responsible for the dilemma by throwing illegal industrial waste into the
river. “Deadly Waters” won the Arab Reporter For Investigative Journalist
(ARIJ) award in 2009 YEAR, but most importantly, it pressured the state to
take severe action against factories polluting the Nile.
Similarly “Deadly Lanshon”, produced 2011, exposed processed meat
factories using illegal non-meat objects and waste to produce cold cuts and
processed luncheons at cheap prices. The two reporters went undercover to
get a job in the violating factory to be able to film and tell the story.
“A Pathetic State”, 11 minutes, 2010, raised the question of national food
security while exploring challenges facing small Egyptian farmers and
agriculture production. The Minister of Agriculture attended the film
premiere as well as economists, and Agrarian activists which eventually
led to a deep public discussion on Agrarian sector reform.
“Reporting… A Revolution” is our first long documentary film production.
Believing that films do make a difference, Al Masry Documentary Films is
now being established.