The following is an excerpt from the anthology Ten Arab Filmmakers edited by Josef Gugler and published by Indiana University Press (2015). Mohamed Chouikh occupies a key position as a kind of relay between the post-colonial, idealized Algeria of the 1960s and what one might call the contested, dysfunctional Algeria …

Enduring Commitment Syrian drama has oscillated between accommodating and challenging persistent authoritarianism, the Islamic tendency, and the neoliberal moment. In addition to sensational thrillers and costume dramas, Syrians continue to produce works that harken back to an earlier era of Arab cultural production. Realist dramas join sociopolitical satires in critiquing …

Eshtebak (Clash) defies convenient stereotypes of heroes and villains. There are no comfortable answers, and there is no feel-good storyline; it is unapologetically raw and gritty. Clash compels audiences to doubt their perceptions of conflict and political antagonism, a vexing challenge for an Egyptian public accustomed to propagandist narratives on …

July 31, 2016—Friction between passionate football supporters and their depiction in sports media has developed over the past few years. Ultras Ahlawy, the Egyptian organization under which the fans gather, is at the epicenter of violence and anti-government conspiracy theories.

TUNIS—The American Embassy in Tunis and the fan club Star Wars Tunisia will host “Star Wars Day” tomorrow. The day is dedicated to exploring the iconic films and their roots in Tunisia. Many scenes from the first six films were taped in the south of Tunisia, including nearly all of …

July 26, 2016—Following a sudden health crisis, Egyptian director and filmmaker Mohamed Khan died this morning at age 73. He changed the face of Egyptian cinema in the 1980s with the expansion of neo-realism. Khan was born in Cairo in 1942 and studied at the London International Film School.

CAIRO—Renowned tycoon Naguib Sawiris has sold the company that owns the television channel ONTV. According to a spokesperson today, Egyptian Media Company bought the company. Egyptian Media Company, owned by businessman Ahmed Abu Hashima, released a statement announcing the signed acquisition contract with Sawiris. The deal handed over complete ownership …

February 20, 2016—Egyptian writer and novelist Ahmed Naji was sentenced to two years in prison on Saturday after publishing "obscene sexual content" from a chapter in his novel, The Guide for Using Life, in a state-owned literary magazine in August 2014.

February 3, 2016—American media company Fusion and the office of Bassem Youssef announced on Sunday that the Egyptian heart surgeon turned award-winning television show host will be working with the network.

February 3, 2016—“One of two Egyptian music idols has just returned from Dubai, the other from Germany, to shoot a video for a duet sung in praise of a Cairo that they cannot actually stand living in,” wrote a young Egyptian dentist in a Facebook post that was shared more than 7,600 times and liked by 26,000 people as of Wednesday.