Hello. Here's Kateb.

FIlmmaker | Producer

Bio

I’m a filmmaker, producer and visual artist from Alexandria, Egypt, currently based in Hamburg, Germany. I work interdisciplinary with the main focus on cinema, moving pictures, and visual storytelling. Inspired by great storytellers I have met since my childhood, I discovered my passion for storytelling. As a reason for existence, I believe in the power of stories and dreams to witness societies and contemplate the changes they go through. Influenced by human connections, city lights, and urban legends, I tell tales of everyday characters that are portrayals of the Egyptian society of today.

After finishing my Filmmaking Studies at Jesuit Cairo Film school in 2014, I moved to Germany in 2016 to pursue my studies in communication design. I aimed to explore other visual art forms, expand my visual narrative experience, and gain more storytelling tools. My artworks – such as installations, films, designs, and photographs – were selected on several occasions, for example; “PAGE” Design Magazine, the celebrations of Kleve City’s 775 anniversary, and several photography exhibitions. Coming from my work in filmmaking and communication design, I believe that visual narrative is not limited to one medium. I’m always finding a way to integrate different mediums, such as films, photography, designs, installations… etc.

I’m currently developing my debut fiction feature “An Endless Night” as a producer along with my fellow writer/director Mohamed Kassaby. “An Endless Night” was officially selected in Red Sea Lodge 4th edition organized by Red Sea Film Foundation in partnership with TorinoFilmLab, Beirut Cinema Platform 6th edition organized by Beirut DC, Jumpstart Program by Durban FilmMart 2022 and Cinephilia Advanced Lab 2022.

My short film “Shawky” received a Special Juri Mention for the exceptional script, and being very close to becoming a winner at Short film Klinik Pitch, a collaboration between Red Sea Film Festival and Film Academy Baden-Württemberg and Goethe-Institut Gulf.

My short film “Flying Salama”, where I worked as a writer and producer, is the winner of the 2nd edition Sunbird Stories production grant launched by Cinephilia Productions and Filmlab: Palestine, in partnership with El Gouna Film Festival and Drosos Foundation.

“Ibn El-Leil”, my short film as a producer, was developed through the “Development to Distribution Workshop” supported by Dahshur Workshops, “Short Film Screenwriting Workshop” supported by the U.S Embassy in Egypt, partnering with El Gouna Film Festival and Film Independent, and “Cinephilia Film Development Workroom” supported by NYC Workroom Film Society.

In 2014, I produced and directed a web series called “Plan B: The Door”. My script “A Black and White Movie” was shortlisted in Bibliotheca Alexandrina Plaza Competition for short movies in 2011/2012. I have participated in several film productions, which were screened in many international film festivals and film markets.

Over the past twelve years, I have participated in several workshops, trainings, and masterclasses presented by internationally acclaimed artists, they were diverse and in different areas of art expertise. As well, I led several workshops to teach filmmaking to youth and adults.

Along with my fellow filmmakers Mohamed Kassaby and Safwaan Attia, we founded Varphi Studio to empower filmmakers with authentic personal voices. Currently, I’m working as a director on several short fiction films; “Shawky”, “Sometimes Mickey… Sometimes Donald” and “The Man With The Lemon Tree” in different production phases, and as a producer on several short fiction films; “Ibn El-Leil”, “Flying Salama” and “It looks like GDR”.

Meanwhile, I’m working as an art director in an advertising agency in Hamburg which creates globally integrated campaigns for international clients.

Resume

2023
The short film “Shawky” received a Special Juri Mention for the exceptional script, and being very close to becoming a winner at Short film Klinik Pitch, a collaboration between Red Sea Film Festival, Film Academy Baden-Württemberg and Goethe-Institut Gulf.

2023
The feature film “An Endless Night” was selected in Red Sea Lodge 4th edition organized by Red Sea Film Foundation in partnership with TorinoFilmLab supported by Film AlUla.

2023
The short film “Objects Are Closer Than They Appear” was selected in in the 45th Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival at the African Perspective Section.

2022
The short film “Shawky” was selected in Short Film Klinik 2022 by Red Sea Film Festival, in cooperation with the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg, Ludwigsburg and Goethe-Institut Gulf.

2022
The feature film “An Endless Night” was selected in Cinephilia Advanced Lab 2022.

2022
The feature film “An Endless Night” was selected in Jumpstart program 2022 by Durban FilmMart Institute in partnership with Produire au Sud, Nantes.

2022
The Short film “The Man with The Lemon Tree” was selected in ALFILM ATELIER (Arab Filmmakers in the Diaspora) organized by ALFILM Festival.

2022
The feature film “An Endless Night” was selected in Beirut Cinema Platform 6th edition organized by Beirut DC.

2021
The short film “Flying Salama” won the 2nd edition of Sunbird Stories production grant launched by Cinephilia Productions and Filmlab: Palestine, in partnership with El Gouna Film Festival and Drosos Foundation.

2021
The short film “Ibn El-Leil” was selected in Development to Distribution Workshop organized by Dahshur Workshops.

2020
The short film “Ibn El-Leil” was selected in Short Film Screenwriting Workshop supported by the U.S Embassy in Egypt, partnering with El Gouna Film Festival and Film Independent.

2020
The short film “Ibn El-Leil” was selected in Cinephilia Film Development Workroom instructed by filmmaker Darine Hotait supported by NYC Workroom Film Society.

2018
Participated in Experience Photography Exhibition organized by Hochschule Rhein-Waal, Kamp-Lintfort, Germany.

2017
Selected to participate as a visual/motion designer for Carmina Burana Opera as part of the celebrations of Kleve city’s 775 anniversary.

2015
The short film “He Existed .. No Longer” won the 6th edition of Bibliotheca Alexandrina Plaza Competition for Short Movies Production.

2012
The short film “A Black and White Movie” was selected the 4th edition of Bibliotheca Alexandrina Plaza Competition for Short Movies Production.

Filmmaking Workshops

Oct. 22

DFMI Business Lab organized by Durban FilmMart Institute in partnership with DW Akademie supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Apr. 22
Arab Filmmakers in the Diaspora organized by Atelier in the Framework of ALFILM Festival.

Sep. 21
Audience Outreach Workshop organized by Seen Films, GoodPitch (Arabic) in the Framework of Doc Society and Beirut DC.

Jun. 21
Fundamentals of Film Production – Navigating through the wilderness organized by DayDream Film supervised by filmmaker; Mohamed Samir.

Apr. 15
Short Movies Production: Before and After organized by Goethe-Institut Alexandria supervised by producer; Racha Najdi.

Jun. 14
Lectures in Professional Movies Directing organized by Goethe-Institut Alexandria supervised by filmmakers; Sherif El-Bendary and Emad Mabrouk.

Scriptwriting Workshops

Nov. 15
Developing Scripts organized by Nadine Shams Foundation supervised by scriptwriters; Mariam Naoom, Tamer Habib, Wael Hamdy and Mohamed Farid.

Sep. 13
7 Days of Curfew organized by Janaklees for Visual Art supervised by scriptwriters; Ahmed El-Aidy, Mohamed Hammad and Chares Akl.

Documentary Filmmaking Workshops

Jun. 16
Documentary Filmmaking Workshop organized by Jesuits Cultural Center in Alexandria supervised by the filmmaker; Gianpaolp Bucci.

Jun. 11
Documentary Filmmaking Workshop organized by the American Center (AMIDEAST) in Alexandria supervised by the filmmaker; Brigid Maher.

Multimedia and Theatre Workshops

May 17
Sound-Poster-Design-Workshop organized by Hochschule Rhein-Waal supervised by Adriana Cabrera, Thomas Laubach, Jana-Lina Berkenbusch and Ralf Postulka.

Apr. 16
Video Art Workshop organized by ElMadina for performing and Digital Arts as one of its agenda included in “Alexandria International Festival for Contemporary Theater” supervised by artists; Julien Maire.

Jul. 11
Multimedia and Theatre Workshop organized by ElMadina for performing and Digital Arts, Studio Emad Eddin and ZINC – Arts et Cultures Numériques as one of its agenda included in “Training in The Street Program” supervised by artists; Alexandre Cubizolles, Emad Farouk and Hatem Hassan.

Art Direction Workshops

Dec. 15
Art Direction in Independent Films organized by Goethe-Institut Alexandria supervised by Art Director; Shady El-Anani.

Mar. 20 – Present
Art Director at Jung von Matt NEXT ALSTER, Hamburg, Germany.

Jan. 20 – Feb. 23
Art Director Digital at Serviceplan Group, Hamburg, Germany.

Aug. 17 – Dec. 19
Project Manager and Visual Content QA at trivago N.V., Düsseldorf, Germany.

Feb. 16 – Oct. 16
Video Editor at Blueocean Creative, Alexandria, Egypt.

Aug. 15 – Oct. 16
Video Editor and Videographer at RNW (Love Matters Arabic), Alexandria, Egypt.

Oct. 14 – Jun. 15
Video Editor and Videographer at Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt.

Sep. 16 – Feb. 20
Information and Communication Design, B.A. at Hochschule Rhein-Waal, Kamp-Lintfort, Germany.

Sep. 12 – Aug. 14
Filmmaking Diploma at Jesuits Cairo Film School, Cairo, Egypt.

Jul. 16 – Sep. 16
Filmmaking and Cinema Trainer at Arab Digital Expression Foundation (ADEF), Alexandria, Egypt.

Jul. 16
Filmmaking Trainer at Pianola Foundation for Independent Arts, Alexandria, Egypt.

Sep. 15 – Oct. 15
Drama Trainer at 1001 Inventions Limited (UK), Alexandria, Egypt.

contact

mohamedelkateb.eg |at| hotmail.com
kateb |at| varphistudio.com
info |at| mohamedkateb.com
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Hamburg, Germany / Alexandria, Egypt

Or on Varphi Studio
info |at| varphistudio.com
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Alexandria, Egypt