VIDEO: CNN Highlights Egypt's Cinema Comeback

Egyptians fondly remember a time when this nation’s movies rivalled any production emerging from Hollywood. Starting as far back as 1895, Egyptian cinema fascinated film lovers around the world – before political upheaval and instability began decimating the once popular industry. However, in the aftermath of the 2011 uprising, Egyptian independent filmmakers began using the historic moment to inspire gritty and graphic films that have not only garnered international acclaim but ushered a new generation of filmmaking voices that could lead Egypt back to its former cinematic glory.

In this CNN video segment, Inside the Middle East interviews Egyptian film directors Amr Salama and Hala Khalil, the former highly acclaimed for his work on Lamo2akhza ('Excuse My French') and Asmaa, while the latter's Nawara has garnered much international acclaim. 

Diving into contemporary greats like Hepta and Mohamed Diab's Clash, it seems as though Egyptian cinema is poised for a comeback. However, the video poses a pivotal question: will the story of Egyptian film get a Hollywood ending and take centre stage once more?

"I'm very very optimistic about the future of filmmaking in Egypt. if we have the money and the resources, yes of course we're going to make better films," Salama enthuses. Would you agree?