A major characteristic of the high season releases is the near absence of veteran Eid stars, like seductress Nadia al-Guindi, whose colossal failure in Bono Bono early this year has certainly had its toll. The well-liked Adel Imam also steps down in preparation for a 2001 movie directed by his son Rami, according to Egypt Today.
New films were released during the Greater and Lesser Bairam (Eid) holidays, which is exactly why Arabic film buffs have a lot to look out for by the end of this month.
One example is the award-winning Souq el-Motaa (Pleasure Market), which stars Mahmoud Abdel Aziz and Elham Shahin, and is directed by Samir Seif and written by Wahid Hamed. The film participated in the Cairo International Film Festival last year and tells the story of a convict who is released after 20 years in prison.
Oula Thanawi (Secondary One) With Nour al-Sherif and Mervat Amin, this film depicts a doctor who, retired after committing a surgical error, learns to appreciate other things in life from a group of adolescents. The film is directed by Mohamed Abu Seif, based on a story by Sherif al-Shobashi and scripted by Ashraf Mohamed.
Wihyat Albi W'afrahou (I Swear by My Heart and Its Joys) is directed by Nadia Hamza and stars Elham Shahin, her brother Amir, Khaled al-Sawy and Gamal Abd al-Nasser. The movie is about an architect who meets a boy with special needs while overseeing the site of an extension to a mental institute. She sympathizes with his plight when she discovers that he has been persecuted by a hospital attendant and was left in the institute by his evil stepfather. Tied down by a marriage to an impotent man, the architect welcomes the diversion, since her brother won't allow her to file for divorce for fear of losing the husband's inheritance.
In a signature Inas al-Degheidi picture, this champion of female bonding presents al-Warda al-Hamra (The Red Rose). Starring Yousra, the film is about two girls who fall in love with the same man. When one of them finds out, she decides to abandon her love for the sake of friendship. A reverse situation takes place in Rendezvous, directed by Ali Abdel Khalek, with three young men falling in love with the same girl.
A plethora of other films include Eddini Aqlaq (Think with me), directed by Mohammed al-Naggar. A Luxor teacher moves to Cairo. His father, the Omda (mayor), is killed and when the teacher goes back to his hometown, he discovers corruption and the theft of monuments.
Another film is Agenda Hamra (Red Agenda), directed by Ali Ragab, starring TV anchor Tarek Allam, whose acting debut last year wasn't very promising. The film tackles urfi marriage and incest through the story of a father and son who unknowingly marry the same woman.
Leih Khallitni Ahebbak (Why Did You Make Me Love You) is directed by Sandra Nashaat, and featurs Hala Sheiha, Karim Abdel Aziz and the charming Mona Zaki. The film is about a girl whose boyfriend abandons her to marry another, so she plans revenge.
Other Egyptian films are Ashaan Rabbina Yihibbak (For the Love of God) written and directed by Raafat El-Mihi; Galgala, directed by Mazen al-Gabali and starring Jala Fahmi and the young Yasmine Abdel Aziz – Albawaba.com
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