Egypt has produced many great works that we still remember today. Among different genres, some of the films tackled problems in a way that befits our modern social issues perfectly. These masterpieces were ahead of their time, and we feel mesmerised when we watch them now. That said, allow us to share some movies and plays that broke time barriers.
1- Ana Hourra (1959)
Amina, played by Lubna Abdel Aziz, is a young woman who lives with her aunt’s family, including her uncle and cousin. With their restrictions placed upon her, the men in her life reinforce the film’s themes of patriarchy.
Ana Hourra is credited for introducing a feminist framework to Egyptian cinema in 1959. This film violated Egyptian society’s conservative customs and the role of women at the time. It depicts a college girl’s dissatisfaction with Egypt’s predominantly male patriarchal structure and portrays much of the feminist ideals of the 1960s that hadn’t made it to Egypt at that time.
2- Lel Regal Faqat (1964)
The plot of Lel Regal Faqat centres around Ilham and Salwa (Souad Housni and Nadia Loutfi), two chemical engineers hired by an oil business in Cairo. While they want to work in the desert to explore new oil wells, the company only sends males. So, the two female engineers disguise themselves as men to go to the desert on the mission. The movie is a comedy but tackles real problems of work limitations for women that still exist on different levels today.
3- Zawag Ala El-Tare’a El-Hadesa (1968)
Portrayed by Souad Housni and Hassan Youniss, Ahmed and Noha are cousins who were raised and educated together until university. Then, love blossoms between them while camping during the summer holiday. They decide to get married, but many problems stand in their way. These problems are more considered a dilemma in our modern age than in the movie’s time.
4- El Ostaza Fatma (1952)
When women weren't allowed to leave the kitchen in the 50s, Faten Hamama's Fatma were already a successful lawyer! This career till this day is male-dominated but El Ostaza Fatma proved otherwise! She did not stop there and established her own law firm, and her fiancé Adel was opposing to the idea. Fatma believed in her skills and potential success and it paid off! Proving to her fiancé and the society that a woman can thrive in her career and even start her own business.
5- Embratoryeet Meem (1972)
Surely, today's generations have more freedom of speech and break their silence when the house rules are not matching their needs. Faten Hamama's Embratoryet Meem is considered a head of its time because of how it tackled single parenting and kids rioting to family values. The movie tells the story of Mona, a widow who held the position of director at the Ministry of Education.
She shares a home with her six children, all of whom are in different stages of school, and she goes through all of their troubles. After that, she meets Ahmed Raafat, a wealthy businessman who falls in love with her at first sight and asks to marry her. The kids fight their mother's strict rules that offend them and even deem her unworthy of leading the family! They make an election to pick a new family leader and this theme seems to be most suitable for today's family values.
