إسكندرية ليه
Alexandria…Why? (1979)
ALEXANDRIA…WHY? (1979)
An unconventionally playful script that weaves together a collage of themes all staged within a striking and meticulously composed mise-en-scène. With Alexandria…Why? (1979), Chahine pioneered in introducing autobiographical storytelling into Arab cinema with rare courage and striking genuineness. The film was a turning point in Chahine’s career; a radical shift from animating the ambitions and hardships of a postcolonial Egypt in its quest for modernization and national self-realization, to exploring the uncanny worlds of the self, to laying bare—almost with a Caligulan boldness—its desires and fears, Chahine’s life, longings, and pain would be bluntly mirrored in the protagonists of all his subsequent films, including historically inspired characters like Aram in The Emigrant (1994) or even Averroes in Destiny (1997). From this point on, Arab films became personal testimonies of their makers as much as of their societies. — ISKANDAR ABDALLA
Country of Origin: Egypt
Run Time: 2h 13m
Language: Arabic
Rank in the list: 14th
Genre(s): Drama
Synopsis
Alexandria during World War II. Yehia, a young man in his final year of school who loves movies and music, dreams of making it to Hollywood. But like most of Egypt’s middle class, the war has left his parents in a tight financial situation. Through Yehia’s endeavors, his Christian family and his diverse group of friends, we are exposed to different segments of Alexandrian society: from Egyptian and British soldiers, communist workers and patriotic aristocrats to social climbers and war profiteers. A rich, dynamic portrait of the director’s beloved city during a seminal moment in its long and layered history.
Trailer
Notable Cast and Crew
Youssef Chahine
Director
Ahmed Zaki
Cast (Ibrahim)
Naglaa Fathi
Cast (Sarah)
Farid Shawqi
Cast (Mohsen's Father)
Mohsen Mohieddin
Cast (Yehia)
