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

Eid Al-fitr has become synonymous with the blockbuster season in Egypt, and with good reason! Eid Al-fitr comes right after the long month of Ramadan, a time when cinema venues aren’t favoured, and people prefer to stay home and watch the yearly Ramadan shows. When people usually go out in Ramadan, it’s to enjoy the festivities of the holy month for Iftar, Suhoor or at Ramadan tents during the time between both meals. 

Since foreign films don’t have a place on Egyptian screens during Eid either, it’s a moment to shine the light on our own cinema. So, here are the films that are dropping this Eid!

Wahed Tani (Someone else)

It has been a while since Ahmed Helmy graced our cinema screens with a laugh-out-loud comedy that also makes us think. He returns this year to star in this movie alongside Amr Abd El-gleel, Ruby, and Ahmed Malik. 

Zombie

Another comedy that reunited the zombie craze of the last decade in western media with the ‘maharagant’ in Egypt. Zombie stars Egyptian actor Ali Rabee’, who plays a character determined to continue singing his maharagant no matter what happens, and faces one funny situation after the other.

Leilet El-Eid (Eid’s Eve)

Stepping away from the comedy genre, Leilet El-Eid, starring an ensemble act, aims to portray and discuss some of the biggest issues women deal with in Egypt. The film focuses on the events of a single night, which is Eid’s eve, and revolves around the lives of six women. Of different ages, social classes, and personalities, those six women intersect at the same narrative: the particular oppression all women in Egypt face. The film stars Youssra, Ghada Adel, and Riham Abd El-Ghafoor, among others.

Fares

Starring Ahmed Zaher in his first ever lead role, the movie follows a local hero who’s actually a gas station employee, and finds himself in trouble with a businessman of authority and connections, and it all escalates from there!

Ashbah Europa (Renegades of Europe)

For the first time since Halawet Rouh in 2014, Haifa Wahby returns to the Egyptian cinema screens with Ashbah Europa. The film has gone through some difficulties in production and had its release date moved multiple times until it finally stabilised on Eid 2022.

Al-Enkabout (The Spider)

Last but not least! Another film that was due for release a long time ago. In fact, for the past three years, it has been repeatedly set for release only to be pulled back. But, this time it’s real and official! Al-Enkabout will mark Ahmed el-Sakka and Mona Zaky’s return to co-starring together after a long time apart. Al-Enkabout is about a web of mishaps that starts with a drug dealer who makes and sells a new drug, and finds himself involved with both the mafia and the police.