Few movies have gripped the Egyptian consciousness like Al-Karnak (1975) had done upon its release. Based on Naguib Mahfouz’s titular novel (1974), the cinematic classic depicts candid political oppression, torture, rape, and paranoia unlike any film before it. Graphic scenes typically startle audiences, but for Egyptians, those scenes were an opportunity to grieve their reality. For the children of the 1952 Revolution, Al-Karnak was a cinematic rendition of the political traumas many had faced during the years building up to the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. The premise of Al-Karnak is simple: a cafe in Cairo witnesses the story of three regulars, promising medical students living under the Nasser administration. This includes experiencing the Six-Day War (1967), War of Attrition (1967–1970), and the October War (1973). The students – Zeinab, Ismail, and Helmy – become enthralled with Egyptian politics and begin to take part in the cafe community debates. Their seemingly-normal life takes a dark turn when the three of them are arrested. A riot in MahaIla El-Kubra, a textile town in the Nile Delta, pressures the General Intelligence Services to identify instigators – or create scapegoats if no evidence is found….
