Asmaa
| Asmaa | |
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| Directed by | Amr Salama |
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| Written by | Amr Salama |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Ahmad Gabr |
| Edited by | Amr Salah |
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96 minutes |
| Country | Egypt |
| Language | Arabic |
Asmaa or Asma'a (Arabic: أسماء) is a 2011 Egyptian drama film, and is the first such feature film to present AIDS patients sympathetically. Written and directed by Amr Salama, the film tells the history of a woman with HIV who struggles to live under the burden of keeping her HIV status secret, and then the dilemma she faces when offered the opportunity to appear on a television talk show. It is based on a true story of a woman who died from a burst gallbladder after doctors refused to operate on her because she had AIDS. The director, Amr Salama, intended the film to raise awareness about AIDS: in his words, to correct the "misconceptions and lies" about the disease, since more people are dying from the misconceptions than from the lack of treatment. The film is not about AIDS, but rather the battle against social prejudice in Egypt, and about "love, courage, overcoming fear, and fighting for personal rights".
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, very frightening TV adverts about AIDS had been broadcast in Egypt, with scary images of bats, blood, evil satanic prostitutes and intravenous drug use. Early films about AIDS tended to display total ignorance about the facts of the disease, and to play on fear; one such film was based on HIV being transferred by infected female Mossad agents in Taba. Wessam el-Beih, the UNAIDS Country Coordinator for Egypt, said, "Egyptian media , especially the film industry has for years propagated misinformation and portrayed biased views about people living with HIV."
In December 2011, Index on Censorship reported that "Low self esteem and fear of rejection are common sentiments shared by Egyptians living with HIV. Out of an estimated 11,000 people in Egypt living with HIV and AIDS, only 500 are seeking treatment, according to UN reports. And none has publicly disclosed their status." The strong stigma associated with AIDS prevents access to the necessary care and treatment. According to the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), medical professionals are reluctant to treat the condition, because they do not have the necessary knowledge of infection control, and because of the moral stigma of illicit relationships. AIDS patients are unable to discuss their case openly, and may also suffer discrimination in housing and employment.
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