‘Kemet: Year One’ Wraps Final Casting Round, Marwa Gabriel Leads the Hunt for Egypt’s Next Generation of Screen Icons

Desert Eagle Films has officially closed the third and final round of casting for its monumental prehistoric epic Kemet: Year One, marking the end of an unprecedented nationwide search that drew thousands of hopefuls from every corner of Egypt.

Shortlisted candidates have now been called back for in-person auditions on October 12–13 at BUC Studios, the creative home of Desert Eagle Films’ historic 10-film co-production slate.

A New Era of Authentic Egyptian Cinema

To guide this final stage, Desert Eagle Films has commissioned Marwa Gabriel, the region’s most respected casting director, to lead the process and finalize the ensemble that will bring Kemet to life. Gabriel’s influence in shaping the Middle East’s cinematic identity is unmatched, and her addition signals the project’s commitment to both authenticity and excellence.

“We’ve searched relentlessly for faces that carry the truth of Egypt — its strength, its history, its humanity,” said Marwa Gabriel. “For decades, Egyptian cinema has been celebrated across the Arab world, but Kemet is something different. It’s a return to our origins. Every character must feel as if they truly stepped out of 9000 BC — raw, proud, and real.”

The Vision Behind the Epic

Conceived and produced by Mo Ismail, founder and executive producer of Desert Eagle Films, Kemet: Year One represents a defining moment for modern Egyptian cinema — an ambitious attempt to rebuild the world’s first civilization from the ground up using real locations, handcrafted sets, and a predominantly local cast and crew.

“This film is for the people,” said Mo Ismail. “It’s for the builders carving wood in the sun, for the youth chasing their first dream on set, for every Egyptian who’s ever felt unseen. We’re not recreating history — we’re awakening it. Kemet is a film born from Egyptian soil, made by Egyptians, for the world to remember where it all began.”

Egypt’s Diversity, On Screen at Last

Beyond its scale and ambition, Kemet: Year One is distinguished by its commitment to authentic representation — highlighting the full spectrum of Egypt’s cultural and ethnic diversity for the first time in a mainstream cinematic production.

From Nubian and Upper Egyptian heritage to the Bedouin roots of the desert and the coastal communities of the north, the casting process sought to reflect the nation’s true identity — one defined by unity, resilience, and deep ancestral pride.

“We’re bringing real Egypt to the screen — not filtered, not stylized,” Ismail added. “The faces of our ancestors deserve to be seen as they were — proud, powerful, and eternal.”

The Dawn of a Cinematic Legacy

With final callbacks now underway, Desert Eagle Films and BUC Studios prepare to enter the next chapter of production. Set construction for three full-scale prehistoric villages has already begun, employing hundreds of Egyptian craftsmen and artists in what is being described as a landmark creative collaboration between education, culture, and cinema.

Kemet: Year One stands as the first installment in a 10-film journey that aims to reshape Egypt’s global film identity and reignite its legacy as the cradle of civilization.

This is Kemet.

This is Egypt reborn.