Egyptian Cinema @ 100.

With a brief history and a not-so-brief list, Samir Farid introduces an Al-Ahram Weekly package marking 100 years of Egyptian cinema. The centenary will be celebrated with a new Silent Film Festival and, on June 20, "Egyptian Cinema Day, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina publishes a book on the [top] 100 films selected in over 400 pages edited by Ahmed El-Hadari, bringing together articles by a number of critics and historians on the importance of these films." #1: Al-Warda Al-Bida (White Rose, 1933, Mohamed Karim; more). And: "Director Salah Abu Seif came first with eight films, followed by Youssef Chahine, seven, and Henri Barakat, four."

There was a time when Egyptian writers "had the ability to produce a tightly structured script and credibly imbue it with an Egyptian flavor," writes Mohamed El-Assyouti. Now, though, "copying plot-lines, characters, situations and dialogue from popular Hollywood movies [they] make the Egyptian screen a cheap reflection of Hollywood reality." He lists dozens and dozens of examples. "The makers of these films presume that Egyptians are not willing to see themselves on screen and that they would rather live in this dream fantasy of being colorful, funny, singing and dancing."

Salonez Sami offers an annotated list of Egyptian firsts: feature, "talkie," documentary and movie theater.

Related: "Arab Cinema" at Arab Media.

Posted by dwhudson at March 20, 2007 7:28 AM