CAIRO: Israeli filmmaker and journalist Nimrod Kamer put together a nine minute video documenting what he calls “a new cultural phenomenon” of the girls at the Cairo International Stadium, during one of the matches in the African Cup of Nations a couple of weeks ago.
The film takes place during Egypt’s 4–2 victory over Congo on Feb. 3. Throughout the match, Kamer films the exuberant crowd, focusing in particular on the large number of females attending.
Kamer was present at the stadium to report about the matches for an Israeli newspaper. In his article, published on an Israeli Web site, walla.co.il., he talks about the large number of girls cheering at the games.
The footage follows some girls around the stadium, even before the match begins. Nour Aboullela, an American University in Cairo graduate, was one of those girls filmed. Aboullela feels upset over her inclusion in the film without her consent, and describes Kamer as “a girl stalker.”
Another girl at the match, Rana Abdel Latif was also offended by the idea. “It’s extremely disrespectful that this idiot thinks he can walk around, videotape us and post it on the net claiming that its art. That’s not art, its invasion of privacy,” she says.
Mustafa Moussa, a young broker, feels that as Egypt is accepting of female interaction in festivities and celebrations, there is no “cultural phenomenon” taking place.
“When you see a woman amidst a super, male dominated bus in Cairo ... you don’t stop to think that it’s a phenomenon .... so why would this be,” he says, adding that he feels it is only natural for a woman to want to take part in the countries drive to be champions of Africa.
Although there is nothing “offensive” about filming a crowd at football games, it is usually done as a panoramic shot, not on specific individuals. The title, “Girls at the Cairo National Stadium,” is what is most troublesome to those filmed.
Not everyone, however, finds the video insulting. Real estate manager Ali El Awadi doesn’t find it offensive in the least. “On the contrary, I think it’s good to show that at last everyone can go to the stadium, girls included,” he says.
