In 2018, I traveled to Cairo for The Restoration Project of Youssef Chahine’s films at Zawya. An Egyptian Story left the deepest mark. It follows Yehia Mourad, Chahine’s alter ego, on the operating table, drifting through memory as he confronts the emotional wreckage of his life: childhood wounds, failed relationships, political doubt, and creative fatigue. The film isn’t just a confession—it’s a deep dive into Chahine’s cinema itself, revealing the stories behind many of his earlier works. It’s theatrical, intimate, and anchored by a cast that feels both familiar and larger than life—including a breathtaking moment where Umm Kulthum appears in color for the first time on screen.

After the screening, I joined the audience discussion. Many spoke about the politics of the film or its similarities to All That Jazz. But I shared something else. I said I saw the story through the eyes of the young Khaliji boy in the hospital scene—the one who tells Yehia he loved Cairo Station. Yehia smiles and replies: “Don’t be afraid. We’re the tough ones.” In that moment, it felt like he was speaking directly to me. Not just as a viewer, but as a Khaliji filmmaker shaped by Egyptian cinema. To the ache of loving this medium, of carrying your own life into it, and of what it takes to put that pain on screen. — YASER HAMMAD