‘I was just a youthful Egyptian female from Scarborough with a large amount of heart and courage’

Sara Elgamal, 34, is committed to building a shared human experience via her digicam lens.

Born in Toronto to an Egyptian relatives, the director and producer examined political science and broadcast journalism. She commenced her job in promoting prior to falling in enjoy with film.

“Growing up, I was super passionate about world relations and human troubles,” claimed Elgamal. “I required to save the world and I felt compelled to share stories that I felt were being neglected.”

Elgamal is receiving a Special Award at the ceremony for the 2023 Prism Prize, The Willie Dunn Award, which is introduced to a Canadian trailblazer who has shown excellence inside the new music, songs online video and/or film output communities.

Via her business, Sarathecamel Productions Ltd. (an ode to her last title, which actually translates to “the camel”), Elgamal has worked on songs videos for popular Toronto artists like Mustafa the Poet and Savannah Ré, as properly as campaigns for manufacturers this kind of as Nike, Adidas and Knix.

“It feels truly affirming,” she claimed. “I look again on the past 10 years and it is like wow, I actually did all that? I was just a youthful Egyptian lady from Scarborough with a lot of heart and bravery who made a decision to travel the earth and stick to my dreams.”

An avid traveller with an eye for a story, Elgamal has been on assignments in Cuba, Dubai, Morocco, Japan and the U.K., wherever she lived for a few yrs freelancing as a producer of documentaries, brief movies and music videos.

“I like to imagine of myself as a worldwide citizen,” she stated. “Travel is my most important inspiration and currently being ready to link with human beings all-around the world is some thing that conjures up me far more than anything at all.”

She explained her most memorable undertaking is “A Piece of Me,” a multimedia show, organized by the United Nations, that introduced recognition to the hazards and very long-expression difficulties of feminine genital mutilation in Ethiopia, a observe that influences additional than 65 for every cent of women and women of all ages in the region.

“My purpose with my art is to showcase the beauty in humanity,” claimed Elgamal.

Right here, she shares her present-day cultural obsessions.

Favourite audio online video: “‘Until the Tranquil Comes’ by Traveling Lotus, by just one of my favorite directors, Kahlil Joseph.”

Previous excellent ebook you go through: “I just completed an remarkable reserve which I consider I’ll try to remember eternally: ‘If an Egyptian Can not Talk English’ by Noor Naga. It’s so amazing, fascinating and doesn’t abide by any principles.”

Playlist essentials: “I have a tendency to go with funk, house and Bossa nova. I’m currently listening to a funk dance band referred to as Social Enthusiasts. They make seriously fun summer tunes.”

Can’t-miss Tv set exhibit: “I definitely appreciated ‘Love & Demise.’ I believed it was quintessential drama and I love drama!”

A movie you just cannot get adequate of: “‘Home By itself 2: Shed in New York.’ It kick-begun my desires to journey and be missing in the earth. It’s the only movie I’ll observe above and in excess of yet again.”

Correction — June 20, 2023: This article was up to date to right that Sara Elgamal been given The Willie Dunn Award, not a specific accomplishment award. As perfectly, she co-developed a tunes video clip for Toronto artist Mustafa. She did not immediate it.

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