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Egypt's government pulls film starring Arab ‘sex symbol’, awaits review by censors

Film starring Egyptian/Lebanese diva Haifa Wahbe has grossed nearly LE1 million in its first week, but critics say it's porn masquerading as drama

Ahram Online , Wednesday 16 Apr 2014
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Haifa
Snap shot from Halawet Rooh's trailer
Egypt's interim Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahleb ordered on Wednesday that a recently released Egyptian film, Halawet Rooh, be withdrawn from movie theatres until it is re-evaluated by the country's censorship board, state-owned news agency MENA reported.
 
The decision comes after the for-adults-only film, released on 3 April, was hit with a wave of criticism accusing it of containing heavy sexual connotations that "violate the Egyptian moral code".
 
The film, which revolves around Rooh -- played by Egyptian/Lebanese diva Haifa Wahbe -- who becomes the object of desire of all the men in her working class neighbourhood while her husband is away, has also been accused by many of being a bad imitation of Giuseppe Tornatore’s widely-acclaimed Malena (2000) starring Italian actress Monica Bellucci.
 
A review published last week in the Egyptian daily Al-Masry Al-Youm took aim at Halawet Rooh under the title of "How to Make an Egyptian Porno", which accused the film of unsuccessfully posing as drama while it was only concerned with "sexually arousing the audience".
 
The film has reportedly been lifted from Qatar as well.
 
According to the Egyptian cinema news website elcinema.com, Halawet Rooh has garnered over LE988,000 in just its first week at theatres.
 
It was also slammed by the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM).
 
“The film includes language and scenes that negatively affects the morals of children,” read the NCCM's statement.
 
The movie's star Wahbe has frequently refuted the claims, however, affirming that such opinions will be proved wrong if people only watched the film.
 
In almost a week, the promotional song for the film carrying the same title and sung by one of Egypt’s most celebrated pop singers, Hakim, has exceeded 4 million views.
 
The film is directed by Sameh Abdel-Aziz and stars Bassem Samra and Mohamed Lotfy alongside Wahbe.
 




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bknot1
19-04-2014 12:22pm
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5+
FOR REAL!!!
What a waste of time.. It's a movie, that apparently alot of people are enjoying watching.. Why even have movie theaters in the region, if you can't enjoy watching films. SMH!! I gues now it will become one of the most (illegal)download films, like all the others that are banned for stuid reasons.
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2



neil
17-04-2014 02:14pm
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8+
weird
my brain can't take this many twisted principles. - where's Noah? did the censorship board ban a movie with no sex or bad language, and only contexted violence? and with no idolatry; if that's the only case where al azhar can be 'relevant', then they should close their doors. why don't they ban GTA? and NCCM worried about children affected by an adult-only movie? the prime minister - not even the president - inferring with an independent office? why doesn't he intervene in the case of a judge issuing collective punishment to 500 protesters? calling a movie with no nudity 'porn'? and 'egypt morals..is that the 4 million who already tuned in, or the karate teacher case, or constant black-outs because of all the power used to watch satellite/internet porn? t
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Sam Enslow
17-04-2014 12:41pm
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15+
FREEDOM OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION
I thought the new constitution guarenteed freedom of artistic expression. If you believe the movie is not suitable for you, do not go.
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Terrence
17-04-2014 03:25pm
30-
7+
Freedom of Corrupt Military Expression
What new constitution? You are not suggesting the new constitution had anything new other than to consolidate power in the hands of the military? Nothing else changed. It was all about using suitable narratives to overthrow an elected government.

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