Feathers

Feathers is a film that wraps reality in layers of absurd irony, and the transformation of a domineering father into a chicken is merely the starting point for an immersion into the claustrophobia of poverty, the silence of a subdued wife, and the crushing weight of systemic misogyny. It demands attention and patience from the viewer to endure its strangeness — but for those who persevere, it unfolds into a potent fable about oppression and rebirth.

Omar El Zohairy’s direction is meticulous, maintaining a cold, composition-driven approach that enhances the discomfort. Having worked under prominent Egyptian filmmakers like Youssef Chahine and Yousry Nasrallah, El Zohairy brings to this debut a sense of meticulous framing, in which each shot molds the protagonist’s body to the weight of her surroundings. The grimy cinematography, saturated with grays and pale blues, creates a visibly exhausting world: it’s only through the minimalist lens — almost a visceral palette — that we witness the dismal day-to-day life she endures.

Demyana Nassar delivers the most restrained and striking performance in the film. Almost entirely wordless, her expressionless face conceals both suffering and hidden strength, and it’s in that contrast that the film finds its heart. Her silence carries the exhaustion of endless days and the spark of fierce resistance. Samy Bassiouny, as the father-turned-chicken, offers a performance that defies credibility without leaning into gratuitous grotesquery: he balances physical ridiculousness with a strangely relatable humanity.

There’s one emblematic moment, stunning in its simplicity: she walks through their stifling home carrying the children, trailed by the husband in full chicken form. Long, wide shots allow the horror of the ordinary to breathe — the beak, the feathers — and simultaneously reveal the weight of each step. In that sequence, the film captures the absurdity in a functional absurdity — misery resigns itself, but it does not surrender.

Among the film’s triumphs is how it balances dark comedy with sharp social commentary: the chicken-husband becomes an excuse for the mother to seek work, only to be denied by a factory that doesn’t hire women — a perfect mirror of patriarchal bureaucracy. A scene in which she tries to declare her husband "missing" but is blocked by administrative technicalities feels straight out of Kafka — a system that neither welcomes, explains, nor liberates. That’s where the film shines, not just as surreal farce but as pointed social critique.

Still, it isn’t without flaws. The pacing occasionally drags: some prolonged silent sequences teeter toward monotony and might alienate the viewer. And while the ending is visually striking, it lacks a narrative punch — the emotional climax promised doesn’t quite arrive. This ambiguity may be intentional, but to me, it left a sense of liberation without purpose.

All in all, Feathers is a film that unsettles through the beauty of decay. It avoids easy jokes, favoring dry humor and a critical lens. It has its weaknesses — uneven pacing, an ambiguous final act — but its strength lies in the courage to reflect on gender roles, oppression, and emancipation through the surreal logic of fable. The chicken metamorphosis becomes a vivid metaphor for the journey of a woman who finds power in the heart of chaos. This is a handcrafted, bold, and layered film — well worth watching, even if only out of the corner of your eye.

Feathers (2021 / Egypt)
Direction: Omar El Zohairy
Screenplay: Ahmed Amer, Omar El Zohairy
Cast: Demyana Nassar, Samy Bassiouny, Fady Mina Fawzy, Abo Sefen Nabil Wesa, Mohamed Abd El Hady
Running Time: 112 min.