Debut: 'Asks the Girls In Cairo'
Freedom is a concept often taken for granted. Some argue that freedom is never truly valued until it is taken away. Regardless, the search for freedom, for liberation from oppression, is a tried and true theme, an idea that can be understood by anyone because of how timeless it is. The short film, Asks the Girls In Cairo (2025), is a reflection of this theme and the endless pursuit of freedom.
Asks the Girls In Cairo is a short film by JP Micallef following various young women in Cairo as they ride skateboards and motorcycles, and drive cars through the city streets. In 2017, Cairo was named one of the riskiest cities for women because of high levels of sexual harassment and violence. Women in Cairo also face discrimination in the workplace, and many struggle to find work outside of the house.
Micallef’s short film focuses on how these women are rising despite living in a sea of struggle. The film opens with a young girl sneaking out of her house early in the morning. The camera cuts from a sleeping man, presumably her father, to her cautious footsteps as she leaves with her skateboard, establishing a narrative from the very beginning. It becomes clear to the audience that this girl is not supposed to be doing what she is doing, hence her hesitant steps. Yet as she walks outside and stops on a corner to connect her headphones, the diegetic noise of the city stops, and for a moment, blissful silence.
The film follows her as she skates through the empty city streets. Wide shots painted with a golden rising sun show how early it is as she meets up with other girls who skate alongside her. The empty streets they weave through exemplify freedom. These young women, free from their darkened homes where outdated and harmful beliefs lie, are free to skate and feel the wind on their faces as they simply ride.
As the skaters ride through the city, more people begin to emerge as the day starts. This is where Micallef rather brilliantly shows the world these women are growing up in. A table of men outside a restaurant, laughing and talking amongst themselves, goes completely quiet when the girls skate by. A cut to a man working in the restaurant with a look of disdain on his face captures the tone perfectly — these men do not approve of what these women are doing, yet they do it anyway.
There is no direct narrative in Asks the Girls In Cairo; there is no central character or story arc. Micallef’s film operates more as a stylized documentary. As the film progresses, the audience sees women of various ages driving motorcycles or muscle cars alongside the skaters. There is no literal direction they are going nor any destination; this lack of direction works in the film's favor, however, as it highlights the theme of freedom found throughout the film.
The young women of Cairo are moving towards the future, a future where they do not need to sneak out of a house just to skateboard with friends. They ride because riding is a form of freedom they don’t have anywhere else. A workplace, a home, a school — Micallef’s focus on the road implies a lack of guaranteed resources for these women to explore and find their freedom. Therefore, the road becomes the only place for them to truly feel alive and in control while living in a city that seems to be working against them.
This is where the title of the film, Asks the Girls In Cairo comes into play. Yes, there is no direct plot, yet the title of the film is the follow-up to a question not directly asked. The girls in Cairo have asked something; this is open to numerous interpretations, but it is most certainly a question of defiance. Why can’t we ride? Why can’t we live? The girls in Cairo are asking why not, why not women for the future, why not protections for women? Why not?
