Amr Salama has directed two feature films, (On A Day Like Today) in 2008 and (Asmaa; Inspired by True Events) in 2011, and co-directed the long documentary (Tahrir 2011: The Good, The Bad & The Politician) directing the third segment, The Politician.
Asmaa's worldwide premier was at the Abu Dhabi International Film Festival winning the award for Best Arab Director in the New Horizons competition. Its European premiere was at the London International Film Festival. The film is also participating in several international film festivals such as The Karama Film Festival in Jordan, The Oran Arab Film Festival, The Guttenburg Film Festival in Sweden and the Palm Springs Film Festival in the United States.
(Tahrir 2011: The Good, The Bad & The Politician) premiered at the Venice International Film Festival and won the UNESCO award. The documentary participated in the Toronto International Film Festival and the Abu Dhabi Film Festival and has won the Oslo Film Festival award for Best Documentary. Tahrir is also participating in Amsterdam (IDFA) and Dok Leipzig among other festivals.
His film debut (On A Day Like Today) was critically acclaimed and participated in several international film festivals. It was also a box office success.
He was named "2008's best new coming director" by many film critics. He was also honored by the Alexandria International Film Festival and named "Star of the Future".
He also directed several ads, awareness campaigns, music videos, documentary films, short films and TV series.
A blogger and writer, his blog boasts over 250 thousand visits and his YouTube channel has received over 1.50 million views. He has over 80 thousand followers on twitter and more than 18 thousand fans on facebook.
His first book (A Kiosk Guy: A Journey in Search of the Handlebars) is now out in bookstores and has topped several best selling lists. Nine editions of the book have been printed within the first 3 months of its release.
Amr Salama has also written many articles published in several newspapers and magazines.
Asmaa
The Abu Dhabi International Film Festival; won Best Actor for Maged AlKidwany and Best Arab Director in the New Horizons competition
The London International Film Festival; official selection
Karama Film Festival in Jordan; official selection
Oran International Film Festival; official selection
Palm Springs International Film Festival; official selection
Guttenburg International Film Festival; official selection
Tahrir 2011: The Good, The Bad & The Politician
The Venice Film Festival; official selection outside the competition and won the UNESCO Human Rights award.
The Oslo International Film Festival; won Best Documentary award
The Abu Dhabi Film Festival; won Best Arab Production award
Amsterdam – IDFA; official selection
The Toronto International Film Festival; official selection
(On A Day Like Today) was officially selected in numerous international film festivals hosted in UAE, Canada, Belgium, USA, France, Morocco and Tunisia.
Honored by the Alexandria International Film Festival as 'The Star Of The Future'
What Critics Had to Say About Asmaa:
"Amr Salama has evolved greatly in his second feature film"Tarek AlShinnawy
"Asmaa, the director's second feature, affirms his status as one of the most important young directors" Samir Farid
"Asmaa" is a call for empowerment that ultimately works as an accessible pic for general auds rather than jaded fest types" Variety Magazine.
"Asmaa makes its points clearly and firmly" ScreenDaily
What Critics Had to Say About Tahrir 2011: The Good, The Bad & The Politician:
"We're not likely to get a docu on the 2011 Egyptian revolution with greater scope than "Tahrir 2011,"Variety Magazine
"I am immensely grateful to the three young Egyptian filmmakers whose film Tahrir 2011 took me on a breathless 94-minute ride through the making and breaking of a dictator." Huffington Post
"One of the few films that made me cry"Samir Farid
"The most important piece of art that was inspired by this great revolution."Tarik Al Shinnawy.
What critics said about (On A Day like Today):
"Zay El Naharda is a neat experiment."
Novelist Ahmed Khaled Tawfeek, El Dostor Newspaper.
"Zay El Naharda is imagination without limitation; it forces you to fall in love with it at first sight."
Film critic Tarek El Shenawy, Soot El Omma newspaper.
"The maker of this film is a young man with a clear vision and a sophisticated mind that pursues the new creative and philosophical ideas"
Film producer Layali Badr, El Ahram Newspaper.
"Zay El Naharda is an official birth certificate for Amr Salama as a successful director."
Film critic Ashraf Rageh, El Nogoom Magazine.
"I found in that film [Zay El Naharda] a serious topic, which was cleverly discussed by the director; it really deserves to be presented as an Egyptian film in international festivals."
Film critic Ahmed Saleh, El Akhbar newspaper.
"He [Amr Salama] succeeded at grabbing our attention to his directing, writing and editing style, he reminded us that a movie ought to be credited to its director."
Film critic Magda Halim, El Ahram newspaper.
"Amr Salama succeeded at creating a new respectable reputation for his generation and the profession of directing in general."
Film critic Essam Zakareya, El Balagh newspaper.
"Zay El Naharda is a fresh film, it reminds us of the concept of the star director, who can control his actors perfectly and pays attention to the tiniest details."
Film critic Iris Nazmy, El Nogom magazine.
"The director of the movie is also the writer and the editor, and for the first time, it does not weaken the movie, instead it really takes it to another level."
Film critic Magdy El Tayeb, Nahdet Masr newspaper.
"The producer placed his bet on a new director and won, and he surely deserves it."
Film critic Mahmoud Abdel Shakour, Rouz El Youssuf magazine.
