Tuesday March 19th, 2024
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Actors Syndicate Speaks Out About Mona Zaki & Perfect Strangers Remake

The Egyptian Actors Syndicate has issued a statement in defence of Zaki’s freedom of expression, after she was placed in the middle of an online firestorm over the Arabic remake of Perfect Strangers.

Menna Shanab

Following the release of Netflix’s first Arabic film ‘Ashab Wala A’az’ - a remake of ‘Perfect Strangers’ - Egyptian actress Mona Zaki finds herself in the centre of an online firestorm as Egyptians take to social media to debate the contents of the film.

The Egyptian Actors Syndicate has issued a statement just four days after the film’s release, in which they spelled out their support for Zaki’s freedom of expression. Essentially, according to the statement, no matter what you think about the sexually explicit conversations, or what any of the characters said about certain men, or even the panties scene, it’s no excuse to attack artists. “Defending creative freedom in a civil state is an essential pillar of Egyptian conscience that the syndicate will always protect,” the statement read. The Syndicate stressed on its “keenness to preserve Egyptian society’s values and tackling sensitive issues through art.”

The film is the 19th  remake of the Italian hit drama ‘Perfect Strangers’, and features a venerable line-up of actors from across the Arab world including Mona Zakia, Eyad Nassar, Nadine Labaki, Georges Khabbaz, Adel Karam, Fouad Yammine, and Diamand Abu Abboud.

Despite the backlash and attempts at banning the movie in Egypt, the film is still available for streaming in Egypt, as well as 190 countries on Netflix.