Interview with the Cinema Critic and Historian
Yacoub Wahbi
Yacoub Wahbi
| 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.
The cinema industry eventually moved to Cairo because it was the capital and that was natural, especially as the cultural life there was quite vibrant. Another reason was the need for actors, who were numerous more in Cairo, and ample use was made of the theatre, which was to be a great source for the cinema.
The theater fed the cinema not only with actors but also with plots, which were mostly derived from French plays.
I would like to raise the question of why cinema production did not continue in Alexandria. Why did they not develop studios, so that we could say “This film is an Alexandrian production”? When they transferred their activities to Cairo, no one stepped in to continue. For instance, Togo Mizrahi moved to Cairo, but nobody took over from where he left. Then Mohamed Bayoumi stopped working in Alexandria to go to work in Studio Misr with Talaat Harb. The Alexandrian artists should have gone on producing films.
| Interview with the Cinema Critic and Historian Yacoub Wahbi |
