Close to Home | Al-Khimyah

Al-Khimyah, written and directed by #PrinceAlyMuhammad Aga Khan, explores the work of the #AgaKhan Trust for Culture (AKTC) in the historic city of #Cairo, Egypt.
The film shines a spotlight on the 30-hectare #AlAzharPark - converted from a mound of rubble - and the stories of local residents of the adjacent #DarbAlAhmar neighbourhood. Since opening in 2005 after 20 years of careful excavation and design, Al-Azhar Park has provided much-needed leisure and recreational space to the inhabitants of the city, and is today often referred to as “Cairo’s #greenlung.”
Located in the heart of Egypt’s capital, the #urbanoasis has become a popular destination for both locals and tourists. The park has also proven to be a powerful catalyst for urban renewal, evolving beyond the green space itself to include the restoration of monuments and public spaces, and socioeconomic initiatives including #housing rehabilitation, #microfinance, crafts #apprenticeships, and #healthcare.
The film is Prince Aly’s account of a city whose foundations were laid over a thousand years ago, which has seen a 500-year-old rubbish dump rebuilt into a lush green oasis, and a poor inner-city district transformed into a thriving community.