IHT/DSE: The Yacoubian Building” broaches taboo topics in Egyptian society

By Pakinam Amer
First Published: June 21, 2006

CAIRO: Marked by both controversy and praise, “The Yacoubian Building” opened in cinemas around Cairo. Fans of the best-selling novel that the movie is based upon flocked to Monday night’s screenings, expectations flaring as tickets sold out rapidly.
The Opera House premiere began with a red carpet entrance, with young female stars like Somaya El-Khashab, Hend Sabry and veteran actress Yousra sparkling in glittering evening gowns. Surrounded by much hype, discussions before the $6 million movie were centered around how the taboos touched upon by the book were going to be approached.
The book, which received much applause from literary critics, took Egyptian readers by surprise as it delves into political corruption, religious fanaticism, sexual oppression and even obscenity, along with the loss of one’s simplest dreams and rights using a high-status building whose roofs are dominated by a low-class, impoverished mini-society to personalize the story.
Author Alaa Al-Aswani, who received death threats from Islamists for portraying homosexuality through two characters in his book, found it difficult to first publish his work inside Egypt. However, when it was released, film-makers competed for the rights.
Al-Aswani, however, missed the premiere. The acclaimed author tells The Daily Star Egypt that he had not even been invited. “No one called me about [it]; I have good relations with the producers and we’ve met in festivals where the movie was featured,” says Al-Aswani. “I am surprised that I was not sent an invitation [but] it might well be the moderators’ fault.”
It was a full house, however, with young actors, friends of the stars, and even the U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Francis J. Ricciardone and his wife coming to see what has been described as “a cinematic legacy in the making.”
“Shocking,” said some of the audience members, as they came out of the cinema halls. “It hurts me inside to see this face of Egypt, with unfairness, hypocrisy, corruption [and] poverty portrayed so realistically as such.”
“The movie is real and touching, and it’s a leap in cinema making,” says another female audience member.
“… It focused so much on corruption and the bad side of our society … but there is also good that should have been portrayed,” says Alia Abu-Laban, one audience member
Abu-Laban, like many though, believes that the actors’ abilities raised the standard of the movie. “Although the directing was mediocre, the acting and the editing is what made this movie something.”
For many, the three-hour-movie was an experience in its own right. “To see your favorite written work turn into a movie, the characters becoming flesh and blood is exciting,” says one of the movie’s enthusiasts, who, like others, believes that Egypt’s censorship authority should be applauded for allowing the movie without cutting out what he considered essential scenes.

Link: http://www.dailystaregypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=1974