On the rooftops of Cairo

Everyday life/Society, Germany 2006

Anyone walking through the streets of Cairo sees only half of the city. On the roofs of the metropolis, a parallel world exists that is as colorful and multi-layered as the city on the ground. Cairo's older high-rises, in fact, are designed in such a way that their residents can have their servants build small huts on the roof. Wherever that happened, the domestic servants would catch up with their families and acquaintances, and a city above the city would emerge. With people cooking, eating and sleeping up there. Some even keep goats or rabbits. 360° - Die GEO-Reportage accompanies the settlers on the roof and shows life at airy heights. Children drive a goat laughing in front of them, past small corrugated iron huts and freshly washed laundry. What looks like a scene from everyday life in a village is actually taking place in, or rather above, the metropolis of Cairo. In a rooftop settlement, as it exists on almost every one of the old residential buildings in the city center. The mother of the playing children is the energetic Rabab. She is happy that her children can grow up as freely as she herself experienced in her childhood in the countryside. She loves her life on the roof in other ways, too: the peace and quiet and the far-reaching view from the heights make her almost forget the hustle and bustle and the dangers of the noisy, crowded Cairo. Rabab especially doesn't want to miss the close-knit community of the rooftop residents. The extended family cooks and eats together. People share their worries, and when someone needs help, the others are there for them. Here, the childless widow finds just as much support as the tax consultant. But like everything, there are two sides to this life: The settlements on the roofs are only tolerated - there are hardly any rental contracts. And so there is a constant fear that the roof will be cleared from one day to the next, because there are always minor or major conflicts. Sometimes the residents complain about the screaming children on the roof, sometimes the homeowner demands the expensive purchase of new water tanks. But fortunately there is Saleh: He is the "Bawaab", the janitor and therefore the soul of the house. He not only guards the entrance, but is also responsible for all the smaller and larger problems of the house's inhabitants and always has an open ear for his roof community. For many problems, he finds a simple formula: "Don't worry - it will blow over. Allah willing!" And after all, the oldest rooftop resident has now been living in the same 400 square meters above Cairo for 41 years. Reason enough for Rabab, Saleh and the others to hope that everything will always turn out well.
53 min
HD
Starting at 6
Audio language:
German

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Director:

Carmen Butta

Writer:

Carmen Butta

Sound Design:

Michael Kube

Editor:

Peter Klum

Original language:

German

Format:

16:9 HD, Color

Age rating:

Starting at 6

Audio language:

German

Further links:

IMDb