The smell of freshly popped corn wafting through the air, the excited buzz of cinema-goers standing outside the auditorium, the sudden hush of the crowd once the lights go off and the pre-movie advertisements begin- who would have thought these simple cinema pleasures would come to be missed so dearly? With the uncertain atmosphere the pandemic has blanketed across the arts and culture sector, Egyptian Streets spoke to the director of of one Cairo’s most beloved independent cinemas, Zawya. Since 2014, Zawya has provided Egypt with a new and unique cinema experience, showcasing both local and international independent films that would not be otherwise showcased in mainstream cinema venues. Since then, this art-house cinema has also hosted a multitude of events and film festivals, including the annual Panorama of the European Film – an extensive month-long program that showcases a multitude of award-winning European films. “In March, we took the decision to close our cinema because of the pandemic, and that was a bout a week before there was an official decree from the government to shut down all cinema,” says Zawya Director Youssef el Shazli, “we took that decision…
“These are Very Confusing and Uncertain Times”: The Future of Zawya & Cinema-Going
June 17, 2020
