Find Zen: where Nubian culture meets Zen

Find Zen in Vibrance - Aswan, Egypt

This project challenged me creatively at every stage — from pre-production to filming, and most of all, in the editing room. The brief was deceptively simple: "documentary style but with crazy transitions," followed immediately by "but not too much."

We spent five days filming across Aswan with a small production team, blending cultural and lifestyle visuals to capture the essence of the Zen Wellness Resort experience. From motor boats and sailboats on the Nile to tuk-tuks and mountain climbs, we filmed music bands playing on dunes, fishermen at work, pharaonic temples, and vibrant local markets thick with incense mist and colors.

One of the most challenging shots was a hyperlapse sequence up to Qubbet El Hawa (قبة الهواء / Obet El Hawa). I captured it frame-by-frame, step-by-step, climbing from the base of the mountain to the mausoleum at the summit while keeping the movement smooth, centered, and synced with the clouds for fluid motion.

The final film blended cultural documentary elements with modern commercial aesthetics, inspired by styles like Watchtower of Turkey, while staying rooted in authentic Aswan visuals. It was also the final project I shot for Blue Camel Media, closing an important chapter in my filmmaking journey.