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

Cairo is a fascinating city for films, as it is fascinating to live in. The hustle and bustle, its lights and modernism mixed with its undeniable age give it a unique cinematic character that is highly sought after by non-Egyptians, which is why we wanted to write about the greatest five foreign movies filmed in Cairo.

Death on the Nile (1978)

The 1978 film was the first big-screen adaption of Agathe Christie’s famous novel. The movie was set and filmed in Egypt with its locations not just in Cairo but also the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx, Aswan, Luxor, and the temples at Abu Simbel and Karnak.

Death on the Nile (2022)

A different adaptation of the same novel with modern technology and a star-studded cast, including Gal Gadot and Armie Hammer. The movie was set for release earlier, but due to Covid-related complications, it had to be delayed. It’s the same as with the 1978 version, where filming was actually done in Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan.

Land of the Pharaohs (1955)

This film is one of the biggest epics ever produced, not just relative to its time, but until this very day. There were over 9700 extras in just one scene, with thousands being cast for the film overall, with a large-scale team in production and writing, including the Laureate novelist William Faulkner. The filming locations are as much of stars in the film as the actors, as most scenes are filmed in Egypt, mostly Cairo and Luxor.

Cairo Time (2009)

Unlike the others on the list, Cairo Time is neither a grand epic nor a ground-breaking mystery. For the precise reason of its simple premise, a quiet, unexpected love affair catches two people off-guard. The movie shows the normal, day-to-day life of Cairo and a not-very-grand grandeur, a side of Cairo that isn’t usually seen in foreign depictions.

Malcolm X (1992)

Depicting the life of Malcolm X, played by Denzel Washington, the film is a biographical epic of the influential Black Nationalist leader from his early life and career as a small-time gangster to being an assistant minister of the Nation’s Temple Number One in Detroit. His religious journey is depicted in Egypt when he visits the Mohammed Ali Mosque in Cairo and is filmed inside.