The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Still from Kamel El ‘Aadad

With 2024 upon us, we look back at 2023 and can’t help but reflect on the milestones achieved by Egyptian cinema and drama this year. With multiple masterpieces focusing on social issues and raising awareness on many of these causes, this eventful year in the world of entertainment has been nothing short of inspirational. Here are eight unforgettable on-screen performances of the year. 

Mona Zaki in Taht el Wesaya

Always leaving us in awe with her soul-touching performances, Mona Zaki returned to Ramadan drama in 2021 with Lee’bet Newton, followed by Taht El Wesaya in Ramadan 2023. The reveal of the main poster for the series sparked controversy, building anticipation for the show’s release. Zaki’s exceptional portrayal skillfully made us laugh and brought us to tears, all while raising awareness for a critical issue affecting Egyptian orphans and widows.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWmWMtjRsCQ

Amina Khalil in Al Harsha Al Sab’aa

Tackling different struggles with marriage through the perspective of two completely different couples, Al Harsha Al Sab’aa gained an incredible amount of attention. With one specific scene for Amina Khalil going viral, showcasing the struggle of women with newborn twins, her performance gained vast recognition over social media, making it arguably her best one yet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA-6eFLOnRI

Sherif Salama in Kamel El Adad 

Despite the entire cast receiving recognition for their exceptional performances, Sherif Salama, in the role of Ahmed Mokhtar in Kamel El Adad, delivered a standout performance. Making a remarkable comeback to the screen, Salama skillfully portrayed a character with a unique blend of comedy and drama, seamlessly handling both the tragic and humorous scenes with equal energy and blowing us away. 

Dina El Sherbiny in Kamel El Adad

Having played the lead role in this breakthrough Ramadan series, there was only one verdict from all of us after finishing Kamel El Adad: Dina El Sherbiny can do it all! Her stellar performance was awe-inspiring. Paired with the incredible scenario and the uncomfortable yet vital issues discussed in the series, Kamel El Adad really became one for the books.

Ahmed Fahmy in Safaah el Giza

From taking cooking classes to paying attention to the tiniest details, Ahmed Fahmy put his all into the role of Safaah El Giza. He paid close attention to more information beyond his on-screen performance, making it possibly his best role yet. With a masterful ending scene that managed to bring his audience to tears, Fahmy showed us a new side of him through Safaah El Giza we had never seen before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3iJMvBBPc4

Nelly Karim in Leh La’ 3

Leh La’ 3 discussed the crucial issue of starting a new relationship as a divorcée with a teenage son and a young adult daughter. The series discussed other social problems, with new relationships post-divorce being the centre of focus. Nelly Karim gave an exceptional performance in the role of the mother looking to revive her love life. The series shed light on women’s lives post-divorce, and Nelly Karim blew us away with many masterful scenes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHdi4nTqUl8

Sherine Reda in We Beena Ma’ad 

Being known as the Middle East’s beauty queen, Sherine Reda stepped out of her comfort zone in 2023 with her role as a single mother to three girls in We Beena Ma’ad, a series discussing dating and marriage as an older woman. Reda gave an exceptional performance and showcased that she holds so much talent and is perfectly capable of performing diverse roles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk0I2xAv2BI

Mohamed Farrag in Batn Al Hout

Despite having only come out rather recently, Batn Al Hout has already become a must-watch on Shahid. With an incredible story behind it and delving into some serious issues regarding drugs and religiousness, this already outstanding series was made even better with Mohamed Farrag’s performance. Yet another brilliant role on the part of Farrag, this actor has cemented his place as a timeless actor who will be forever remembered as one of Egypt’s best.