ABSTRACT
Egypt developed the first Arab-speaking local film industry, whose products were also consumed by the neighbouring Arab countries during and after colonial times. With a total output of more than 2,800 full-length films between 1924 and 1999, the Egyptian film industry created a commercial and export-oriented genre cinema which is based on a local star system and on private investment. Often referred to as ‘Hollywood on the Nile’, it has been repeatedly criticized for its low-standard commercialism and alleged plagiarism, and was moreover accused of hampering the development of other Arab film industries. However, its different stages reflected on all levels the specific cultural and socio-political conditions of the country.
