In an attempt to smooth the bumpy road through the film production journey, Hala Lotfy established Hassala in 2011. Filmmaking is a very hectic and expensive process and filmmakers usually go through a lot of obstacles, namely bureaucracy, in order to carry out film production in Egypt.
Hassala is not a production company; rather it is filmmakers cooperative, supporting independent young filmmakers. Support services include technical capacity building workshops, enabling filmmakers to produce non-commercial movies at a low cost, and providing them with mentorship throughout the whole process, helping them explore different filming locations and techniques. The cooperative only gets a low percentage of the profit and the rest goes to the filmmakers.
Giving independent filmmakers a chance to express themselves and to reflect upon and inform their local community’s issues is one of Hassala’s main objectives. This is motivated by Lotfy’s belief that “Knowledge is Power,” and that art is an important tool to spread knowledge and raise awareness in the community.
In the near future, Lotfy aims to establish filmmakers’ schools in different governorates in Egypt. She also plans to work on an advocacy campaign to amend film production laws and has already formed a syndicate for independent filmmakers. She hopes this will enrich the Egyptian film-making industry and develop artistic talents and awareness.