Conceived as a film about tourism, war and sunsets, The Birds Chose the Cards pushes Egyptian artist Basim Magdy into new territory. Shot post-pandemic on lush 16mm, his observational collage eschews science fiction elements from previous works to foreground an emotionally resonant first-person narration centering speculations on history, identity and place – accented by a propulsive soundscape bubbling with warmth and dissonance.