Cinema historian Ahmed El Hadri

There was a greater congregation of foreign communities in Alexandria than anywhere in Egypt. They only had to cross the Mediterranean by boat, as there were no planes, and they would be in their country of origin (Italy, France, Greece), and were in touch with their families there. So they landed in Alexandria first. They were in touch with what was happening in Europe, and were aware that there was this new invention of the cinema abroad, and so the foreigners brought the first films and equipment and cameras to Alexandria to establish cinemas and it is true that the film industry began in Alexandria. It was much later that Egyptians began to take part. All cinema activity began in Alexandria. More...

Interview with Cinema Historian Farida Marei

Of course Alexandria was a pioneer in the field of the cinema. The first cinema hall in the whole of Egypt was the Toussoun Bourse in Alexandria, where the first film was projected on 5 November 1896, less than a year after the first film was shown in France by the Lumière Brothers. The cinema began in Alexandria when the foreigners obtained exclusive rights to screen films, and they opened cinema halls in Alexandria. Two weeks later, a foreigner obtained exclusive rights to open a cinema hall in Cairo, and projected the first film on 16 November 1896. More...

Interview with the Cinema Critic and Historian
Yacoub Wahbi

The cinema began in Alexandria because of its proximity to Europe, and the fact that there were so many Europeans in it, such as Greeks, Italians and so on. Those foreigners created a dynamic cultural movement. That is why the beginning of the cinema was in Alexandria. More...

Interview with Basile Behna

The cinema began in Alexandria because of its proximity to Europe, and the fact that there were so many Europeans in it, such as Greeks, Italians and so on. Those foreigners created a dynamic cultural movement. That is why the beginning of the cinema was in Alexandria. More...