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Garbage Dreams

Play trailer Poster for Garbage Dreams 2009 1h 22m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 10 Reviews 77% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
A look into the lives of Egyptian trash collectors.

Critics Reviews

View All (10) Critics Reviews
V.A. Musetto New York Post Who knew that people could love their garbage so much that they grow angry when it is taken from them? Rated: 3/4 Jan 8, 2010 Full Review Joe Neumaier New York Daily News The film isn't easy to watch, but its portrait of perseverance and ecological commitment is enlightening. Rated: 3/5 Jan 8, 2010 Full Review Jeannette Catsoulis New York Times Expertly weaving personal fears, family tensions and political action (the zabbaleen don(TM)t whine; they strive to modernize), Garbage Dreams records the tremblings of a culture at a crossroads. Rated: 4/5 Jan 8, 2010 Full Review Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com Simultaneously charming and a bit humbling. Rated: 3.0/4.0 Sep 8, 2020 Full Review Jennifer Merin About.com In this compelling documentary, director Mai Iskander follows three teenage Egyptian boys who eke out a living by collecting garbage, but dream of finding their way to a cleaner, easier way of life. Rated: 3/5 Jan 7, 2010 Full Review Edward Douglas ComingSoon.net Successfully shows another side of society that feels foreign and unfamiliar at first, but one that's infinitely more interesting when put into context of our own lives. Rated: 7/10 Jan 5, 2010 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (9) audience reviews
Audience Member Absolutely fascinating story on how a "recycling" system came about in Cairo out of poverty. Essentially the poor recycled so that they could get a few pennies to make it through their daily lives. Incredible. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Audience Member A gripping and unflinching look at life for this struggling group. I was glad for the inclusion of the female social worker as otherwise it would have felt very masculine dominated which is true to the culture, I suppose. Worth a view for anyone who has been to Cairo. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Audience Member About 25 minutes of story stretched to 80 by pure repetition. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Audience Member I am very proud by this film. Even though I claim to be a middle class Egyptian but I didn't knew before I see this film about the world of Al-Zabaleen area in Manshyiet Naser neighborhood. Mai Iskander have done a good effort to show these people for real we're all wondering how she managed to bring the humanity side from those boys on the surface. And how much it was inspiring to see those people try to develop themselves & get respect from the society. The revolution have erupted here in Egypt for those people the nothing class & hope by time they'll get all their rights soon. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member Story of the Christian garbage collectors in Cairo. Their livelihoods are being threatened by new foreign garbage collecting companies. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/03/23 Full Review Audience Member Full of life and hope This film should be seen by the Y generation who are into themselves and obsessed with anything for show that scream "Look at me!" Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Garbage Dreams

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Cast & Crew

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Mai Iskander

Director

Mai Iskander

Screenwriter

Mai Iskander

Producer

Tiffany Schauer

Executive Producer

Raz Mesinai

Original Music

Mai Iskander

Cinematographer
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Garbage Dreams

Garbage Dreams (2009) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A look into the lives of Egyptian trash collectors.
Director
Mai Iskander
Producer
Mai Iskander
Screenwriter
Mai Iskander
Production Co
Chicken & Egg Pictures
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 22m