A powerful tribute to Cairo with ALEXA 35 and SkyPanels

“Seeking Haven for Mr. Rambo” (“Al Bahs An Manfaz L Khoroug Al Sayed Rambo”) is Egyptian director Khaled Mansour’s debut feature, starring Essam Omar, Rakeen Saad, Ahmed Bahaa, and Samaa Ibrahim. Set entirely in Cairo, it is the first Egyptian film to have premiered at Venice International Film Festival in twelve years. The film was also awarded Best Cinematography by the Egyptian Association of Film Writers and Critics in The Best Egyptian Film 2024 Competition and the Yusr Jury Prize at the Red Sea International Film Festival. “Seeking Haven for Mr. Rambo” features cinematography by DP Ahmed Tarek Bayoumi who used the ALEXA 35 camera system to explore the complex social landscape of the city. In this interview, Bayoumi talks about the tight schedule of this project, the advantages of ALEXA 35 in difficult lighting environments, and how ARRI SkyPanels helped to support his visual approach.

Mr. Bayoumi, can you describe the story behind “Seeking Haven for Mr. Rambo”?

The plot follows Hassan, a man in his thirties. Coming from a working-class background and raised by a controlling mother, Hassan is a reserved and complex character whose closest companion is his dog Rambo. When their landlord, a mechanic, decides to evict Hassan and his mother from their home in order to expand his workshop, Hassan’s mother files a lawsuit to defend their right to stay. This leads to the mechanic becoming violent with Hassan which triggers Rambo to come to his master’s defense. The situation evolves into a tense struggle between the landlord, Hassan, and his dog. The landlord becomes hell-bent on killing Rambo, which forces the desperate Hassan to seek a safe haven for his beloved pet. This conflict is at the heart of the film as Hassan navigates the streets of Cairo in search of help for himself and his dog. Eventually, the film delves into themes that go beyond a simple man-versus-man story.

What role did the city of Cairo play in this film, and how long did you shoot?

We shot the entire film in Cairo, capturing the city’s diverse social landscape. Our filming locations ranged from poorer areas to more affluent neighborhoods and provided a comprehensive view of the city. Filming only took 21 days—a tight schedule, but typical for movies of this scale in Egypt.

By showcasing different parts of Cairo, the film explores much more than just a city. According to director Khaled Mansour, the story delves into our generation’s complex relationship with society. For me, it highlights personal frustration, especially for those without a privileged background.

Can you describe your visual approach to “Seeking Haven for Mr. Rambo”?

The director and I had many conversations about how we wanted to represent Cairo in the film. I wanted to show the city as I see it, capturing moments that feel familiar to someone from Cairo but that aren’t seen every day. This approach was very personal to me, especially regarding the lighting. I wanted the film to feel more like photography than a movie; I wanted to maintain a cinematic feel in terms of the actors and lighting but use the camera like a still photographer. We only moved the camera when it was necessary and benefitted the storytelling.

Why did you choose the ALEXA 35 to shoot this film?

In order to realize my visual ideas for the cinematography, I needed a very versatile camera. We were shooting at various times of day and night, covering indoor and outdoor scenes in different lighting conditions. Initially, I wanted to shoot on film because I love that look. However, because we needed to adapt to difficult lighting conditions, particularly in night scenes, I chose ALEXA 35 for its versatility and dynamic range. We shot for 19 days with an ALEXA 35, and only two days with two other cameras for selected scenes.

What other specific features of the ALEXA 35 were crucial in your decision making?

The camera’s ability to handle highlights as well as its overall performance really convinced me. For example, in exterior night scenes, I needed a camera that wouldn’t clip the streetlamps but still captured details in the dark, which is where ALEXA 35’s great dynamic range was particularly beneficial.

What camera settings did you primarily use?

In terms of camera settings, we mostly shot at T2.8 or T4. For night scenes, I aimed for deep blacks and used lighting selectively to bring out necessary details without worrying too much about technical specifications. The approach was more intuitive, focusing on the emotion and atmosphere of each scene rather than technical details.

I don’t mind noise or grain in my shots; in fact, I find them visually interesting and authentic to the story. I experimented with dynamic range and ISO settings to achieve the desired look.

Could you tell us about a particular scene that was challenging or rewarding to shoot?

There was one scene that I found particularly challenging and memorable at the same time. It involved a heated phone call between Hassan, while at a gas station, and his mother. As the call became more intense, we decided to incorporate both sound and light to amplify the emotion. I wanted to light the character in red and gradually increase the intensity of the lighting as the conversation progressed. We choreographed the scene carefully, using these elements to build up to the climax of the call. In this way, we were able to enhance the emotional impact of the moment.

How did you handle lighting at different locations and times of the day?

We shot mostly in winter, which allowed us to avoid direct sunlight by either diffusing it or shooting in shaded areas. For daytime exteriors, we used negative fill and a SkyPanel S360-C with diffusion to push the ambient light. For night scenes, we used the existing city lights to differentiate between the different parts of Cairo. Some areas were illuminated with older halogen or neon lights that appeared green, while more modern areas of the city were lit in white or 5700 Kelvin LED lights. We used this contrast to create a sense of place and character.

Opening Image:
DP Ahmed Bayoumi (l.) using the ALEXA 35 camera with director Khaled Mansour