Via Q Film
Do you know what we should consider as essentials for summer? Some of Egypt’s early 2000s movies, which make for great movie marathons, of course! After all, these feel-good movies were (and still are) a huge part of our lives, and we can’t help but feel their vibes in the summer. So, how about we give you the Essential Egyptian Movie List right here?
1- Short w Fanelah w Cap (2000)
The movie that made us "ship" Ahmed El-Sakka and Nour, Short w Fanelah w Cap will remain forever a classic! The story revolves around three friends who work in Sharm El-Sheikh as a tour guide, a diving instructor, and a cafeteria manager, respectively. One of them, Khaled Kabo, helps Rabab, the daughter of an Arab minister escape her father’s control as he refuses to let her see her then-boyfriend. Events spiral after the girl escapes and as we see her discover a whole new love. If you remember this movie, you’ll definitely remember that we all loved this main couple’s chemistry.
Via Flix Watch
2- Sana Ola Nasb (2004)
Already singing the movie’s soundtrack in your head? That’s expected because Khaled Selim nailed the songs in this movie! Sana Ola Nasb tells the tale of Khaled and Ahmed, two guys who are unemployed despite just having acquired their university degrees. Because they can’t find work, the guys decide to try their luck scamming people, so they head to Hurghada to defraud old tourists. There, they meet two young women, Dalia and Nour, and fall in love with them. After seeing how different life is in the beach city, the con artists decide to step away from their shady business and start a real tourism project. Pretty cool, right? Almost as cool as the scriptwriter not giving the characters names and having them use their real names!
Via Teen Times
3- Sahar El-Layaly (2003)
Before Sahar El-Layaly, we had no idea that we needed to watch Sherif Mounir, Fathi Abdel Wahab, Hanan Turk, Ahmed Helmy, Amr Waked, and Ola Ghanem in one movie! This romantic drama tackles the smallest details and mysteries in the lives of four friends and their relationships with their wives. The events of the film begin on a night when everyone gathers at a birthday party for one of the friends’ children, with disagreements arising between all the couples present. Following that, the four men meet and decide to leave Cairo for a weekend getaway in Alexandria to enjoy their lives again.
Via Media El-Cinema
4- Ga’altny Mogreman (2006)
With the funniest jokes and best romantic chemistry, Ga’altny Mogreman starts when Malak asks her rich but cheap father for her inheritance. The wealthy businessman, Adham, refuses, which causes his daughter to seek the money in another way; by tricking a man called Rushdi Abaza into pretending to kidnap her so she can get the ransom. If that’s not enough, Malak lies to Rushdi and pretends to be a paraplegic woman. Somehow, that begins one of the cutest love stories in Egyptian cinema!
Via Dot Gulf
5- Bibo W Beshir (2011)
Two of the best actors in Egypt are, undoubtedly, Asser Yassin and Menna Shalaby, right? Imagine seeing them together! In Bibo W Beshir, Bashir is an Egyptian-Kenyan man who is a translator for a basketball team, while Bibo is a drummer with a band. Both characters somehow end up discovering that they’ve been living in the same apartment for months, which takes a toll on their quirky relationship.
Via Media El-Cinema
6- Ouija (2005)
Remember the story of the five college friends who decide to play Ouija during one ill-fated vacation? No? Then you need to rewatch it because it’s an underrated masterpiece. Mixing many ‘horror’ elements with aspects of classic Egyptian drama, Ouija terrified us, gave us insane summer vibes, and introduced our society to the Ouija board. Sure, we don’t consider it to be a top-tier horror movie, but it was definitely interesting.
Via El-Cinema Media
7- Eza’et Hob (2011)
Through a romantic comedy lens, Eza’et Hob presents the idea of some people resorting to wearing masks to hide their lives. Laila, a nerd who works in media and radio, pretends to be someone she’s not—until she falls in love with Hassan, who also wears a mask to hide his real self. Things escalate between the pair before the truth is revealed, and all masks are shattered! Not only is this a fun flick to watch, but it also preaches self-acceptance and self-love!
