Egyptian cinema industry declares war on streaming services
The crisis has intensified between the makers of "Saheb Al Maqam," an Egyptian film first made available on digital platforms, and the Chamber of Cinema Industry, which has blocked it from being screened in movie theaters.
CAIRO — The Egyptian Cinema Industry Chamber is at war with digital broadcasting platforms.
In a Dec. 21 statement, Hisham Abdel Khaleq, a producer and vice president of the group, said that the chamber will not allow movie theaters show films after they are available on streaming services such as Netflix and Shahid.net, warning that allowing theaters to become a "second-tier medium" would lead to the destruction of the film industry in Egypt.
Abdel Khaleq’s statement came in response to Egyptian actress Yousra, one of four Egyptians who participated in the jury of the 92nd Academy Awards, telling the press Dec. 20 that many films around the world have recently premiered on streaming services before they are shown in movie theaters.
She stressed that showing these films on streaming services has not prevented them from being nominated for international awards and competitions because they are “primarily cinematic films, and premiering on digital platforms does not mean they are not cinematic films that should be shown in theaters.”
