EGYPTIAN-DUTCH FILMMAKER Ashgan El-Hams made a splash at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival with the world premiere of her debut narrative feature, “The Outsiders” (El-Baraniya). The film screened to acclaim within the prestigious Venice Days (Giornate degli Autori) sidebar. El-Hams attended the premiere alongside producer Frank Hoeve and lead actress Reem Amer, following an industry and press screening at the Sala Corinto that featured a Q&A with the creative team.
Starring Amer and produced by Hoeve for Amsterdam-based banner BALDR Film, “The Outsiders” transports audiences into the heart of rural Egypt for an intimate exploration of family, land, identity, and shifting social dynamics.
The story centers on Amal, a pregnant woman living with her family in the village of El-Baraniya, just outside Cairo. Their chaotic yet warm daily existence is upended when a lucrative offer to sell the family’s land surfaces. As tensions boil and rifts emerge, Amal begins to question her future and the only life she has ever known. The arrival of her cousin Rania from Cairo—bringing tales of city life, independence, and modern media—further fuels Amal’s internal crisis, prompting her to imagine possibilities beyond the village borders.
In a bold directorial choice, El-Hams populated much of the cast with her own real-life family members, harnessing their authentic interpersonal chemistry on screen. Amer stands out as the sole professional actor in the project, anchoring the narrative with her portrayal of Amal.
“The Outsiders” is an international co-production spanning the Netherlands, Egypt, Belgium, and Saudi Arabia. Hoeve produced for BALDR Film alongside Kesmat El-Sayed of Seera Films and Eurydice Gysel of CZAR Film. Financing was backed by the Netherlands Film Fund, CoBO, the Belgian Tax Shelter, BNP Paribas Fortis Film Finance, Creative Europe MEDIA, and the Red Sea Fund, in collaboration with broadcaster KRO-NCRV. World sales are handled by MAD World.
Co-written by El-Hams and Roelof-Jan Minneboo, the feature marks El-Hams’ follow-up to her acclaimed 2020 short “Birdland”—winner of the Grand Prix at the Brest European Short Film Festival—and her 2021 mid-length project “Lois Lane,” which aired as part of the Dutch Onze Straat anthology series.
Published by: September 3, 2026.
