via english ahram
Egyptians love cinema—that’s a fact that we can see clearly in the many movies that get instant recognition when they’re released. Whether it’s about the acting professionalism, how realistic some stories were, or the execution itself, you could tell that those behind the camera (and in front of it) had heaps of passion.
That being said, don’t you think that Egyptian cinema has a few movies that didn’t get the hype they deserved when they were first released? As in, they weren’t quite successful with the public, even though they won many awards locally and internationally. Of these movies, we can think of five that are insanely hyped today but didn’t get the same attention back in their time.
1- El Hasa El Sab3a (2005)
It’s mind-boggling, isn’t it? We can’t believe that people didn’t find this movie hilarious in every single aspect in 2005, but what we can’t believe even more is that audiences didn’t care for this movie at all, even though it’s now a highly-respected Egyptian comedic gem. Ahmed El-Fishawy knew how to make us laugh and gave us A LOT of long-standing “effehat” as well!
And, we didn’t even mention the best part. This movie was directed by the extraordinary Ahmed Mekky, making it an even MORE iconic film. Yes, we ARE a little biased.
via themoviedb
2- Film Saqafi (2000)
This movie caused a huge ruckus when it was first released, which is understandable. Let’s be real—the fact that it came out in the early 2000s means that it SURELY got extreme backlash from the audience because of its controversial nature (especially since sexually frustrated men aren’t really the ideal characters for the Egyptian family principles), but Mohamed Amin made it work anyway. That’s why it deserves much more recognition.
via identitymag
3- Baheb El-Cima (2004)
We think this is one of the most underrated movies in Egyptian cinema because the themes it discussed meant that it got more attacks than critical praise. Baheb El-Cima also excels in making its viewers emotional at all the right moments in the best ways possible.
Although many see this movie as the Egyptian version of the iconic Cinema Paradiso (and who can blame them? The resemblance is resoundingly clear), Egyptian audiences need to revisit it time and again to see how it shines in its own way. Maybe its version of disturbance is exactly what we need.
via elcinema
4- Bel Alwan El-Tabee’ya (2009)
Full of issues that plague most Egyptian families and young adults, Bel Alwan El-Tabee’ya tells the story of a guy who wanted to explore the world of art and sculpture, choosing to study Fine Arts over going into med-school or engineering. The story shows how everyone around the character views Fine Arts and art school kids, with the vast majority thinking art isn’t really a field that has successful work opportunities. This movie showed us how beautiful and inspiring it is to truly follow your dreams, though.
via cahwaktv
5- Ali Me’za and Ibrahim (2016)
Directed by Sherif El Bendary, this mesmerising movie is a gem in disguise, with no one expecting it to be as good as it actually was. In a nutshell, it follows the story of Ali, his goat, and his new best friend Ibrahim as they all go on a journey all over Egypt. The movie’s ultimate goal is to show how it’s essential to get out of your comfort zone and open up to people, even if they are total strangers. Who knows? They might just become your new best friends!
