. The documentary depicts their musical journey during the golden age of Egyptian “hipster” culture during the 1970’s.
The documentary, directed by Sherif Nakhla, took about 6 years in the making and was originally released in 2015. The documentary revolves around the biography of the band through the metamorphosis of the Egyptian pop culture from the late 1960’s when the band started through its reunion in 2010.
The documentary takes viewers on a trip down memory lane during the 1970’s, when Egyptian youth were hipsters wearing Charleston pants and fanatically following Les Petit Chat’s performances around Egypt.
During a Q&A publicized on Facebook, Nakhla explained how intimate the creation of the documentary was for him and talked about how he created a nostalgic feel throughout the film, especially for an audience who may have never heard of the band before. For Nakhla, the band is an icon of a long gone Egypt where music was a huge part of daily life.
Les Petits Chats were incredibly popular, especially among teenage girls, and a sign of modern Egyptian pop culture during the 1970’s. They were sometimes nicknamed ‘The Egyptian Beatles.’ In the documentary’s trailer, one person is heard saying, “if, as guys, we are going out on a date we would take them to any Petits Chats performance; girls loved them for their sentimental songs.”
Footage backs up the claim, with fans screaming with excitement during one of the band’s performances.
Band members include big names in the music and film industry, such as actor and musician Ezzat Abu Ouf on the piano and acclaimed Egyptian composer Omar Khairat as the band’s drummer. Other famous faces joined the band for various periods, such as actor Talaat Zain and guitarist Omar Khorshid.
Band members attended a private screening of the documentary on March 29 at VOX Cinemas, which is set to screen the documentary until April 4. Art-house cinema Zawya will also premiere the documentary shortly after it closes at VOX Cinemas, on April 2.
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