Irish screenwriter and director Terry George, the 2012 Oscar prize winner behind “Hotel Rwanda”, is working alongside Egyptian writer Mariam Naoum to write the screenplay for “The Alexandria Killings”, a true crime TV series about female Egyptian serial killer sister duo Raya and Sakina Hammam.
Set in 1920s Alexandria under British rule, the show details how the pair of sisters rose from poverty to become the owners of a brothel frequented by a powerful group of Egyptian and British officers, informants, and statesmen before murdering 17 women.
“I look forward to collaborating with a truly international team of talented producers and story tellers to investigate the remarkable true story of the Hammam sisters,” said George.
“I am particularly delighted to be working with renowned Egyptian writer Mariam Naoum to tackle subject matter that while containing all the captivating elements of a legendary crime also encompasses global themes of sexism, jealousy, greed and lost love. This will be a thrilling and entertaining journey,” The Hollywood Reporter quoted George as saying.
Naoum said: “I’m very enthusiastic about being a part of this project, and I feel lucky to be working with Terry George and Front Row. At this point of my career, I really believe that merging the experiences of the Middle Eastern and Western filmmakers is crucial for the industry of filmmaking and it will help perfect the adaptation of the story. And I’m sure that I’ll also be learning a lot during this journey.”
