Thread: "Hollywood on the Nile" in Aix en Provence

I found this article on Egyptian movies which has some photos of old Samia Gamal movies: http://forum.cineastes.com/hollywood...ce-vt5254.html

It appears there was a film festival in the French city of Aix-on-Provence, and this article is about the movies being shown. Below is a translation of the beginning of the article.


Hollywood on the Nile
Egyptian Musical Comedy
June 6-19, 2007

Then there's a photo. Underneath the photo it says, "Click to enlarge".

Between the 1940's and 1960's, Cairo's "Hollywood on the Nile" totally dominated the Arab cinematic industry with musical comedies which produced the greatest artists of the Egyptian scene. Even today, the films of this era disseminated largely through television in the Maghreb or the Near East, continue to fascinate the public: the songs or the sensual interpretations by great artists of Oriental dance still inspire the romantic imaginations of audiences from the Arab world. Watching or re-watching these films and their
interpretation by their prestigious cast members on the large screen is a pleasure that is becoming increasingly rare.

Then there's a photo of the first movie. Below it appears this text:

Silence - We're Filming!
(France/Egypt 2001) 102 minutes
Director: Youssef Chahine
Cast: Ahmed Wafik, Ahmed Bédeir, Latifa, Magda El Khattib, Zaki Abdel Wahab

Malak is a famous singer and actress. She lives in luxury with her mother, her daughter, her script writer, and her director. One day, crazy love appears in the person of a young go-getter.

"In a parody, these films are affectionately called "rahat loukhoum", as an analogy to the syrupy Oriental pastry. This new Chahine film confirms that in the coming age, following the example of Lang or Renoir, the director is returning to his first loves, far from the realism and social dramas which propelled him onto the international scene over 30 years ago." --Jean Roy, L’Humanité

Next is another screen shot for another movie, Enta Habibi (You Are My Love.) For now, I'll skip translating the text under this photo.

Next is another photo, this one showing Samia Gamal and Farid al-Atrache. Here is a translation of the text below it:

Madame She-Devil
Afrita Hanem (Egypt, 1949), 110 minutes
Director: Henri Barakat
Cast: Samia Gamal, Farid al-Atrache, Ismail Yassine, Lola Sedki

Asfour, a penniless singer, falls in love with his boss's daughter, an ambitious young woman who has attached herself to someone else. He is about to sink in despair when a stranger shows up and offers him a magic lamp. Asfour releases the female genie, who proves capable of the most amazing things.

One of the most satisfying Egyptian musical comedies due to the grace and talent of dancer Samia Gamal and the golden voice of Farid al-Atrache.

Below this is another Samia Gamal movie, A Glass and a Cigarette. I'll skip the translation for now.

Below this is a Tahia Carioca movie, The Leech. I'll skip the translation for now.

Below this is another Samia Gamal movie, I Love You. I'll skip the translation for now.

Below this is The Song of Faithfulness I'll skip the translation for now.

And finally, the last one is Taxi of Love. I'll skip the translation for now.