The initiative will screen two of the season’s biggest Egyptian movies – Ammohom starring Mohamed Imam and Bahebbak starring Tamer Hosni – in five Cultural Palaces; in Cairo, El-Mahalla, Assiut, Sharm El-Sheikh and Damanhour.

Aiming to spread enlightenment and confront extremism, the initiative is a step in accomplishing cultural justice as well as supporting cinema industry and expanding the country’s soft power, explained Culture Minister Ines Abdel-Dayem.

Offering tickets to these releases at a nominal price, the initiative aims to give Egyptians from all walks of life, especially the poor, an opportunity to enjoy cultural productions.

The first phase was launched on 30 June with a successful screening of Ahmed Ezz and Karim Abdel-Aziz’s film Kira & El-Gin alongside documentary films like Ahmed El-Badry’s Siwa, in a number of halls in Cairo, Alexandria, Tanta and El-Menoufia.

Directed by Marwan Hamed, Kira & El-Gin is based on Ahmed Mourad’s best-selling novel 1919 that is based on historical events during the time of Egyptian Revolution of 1919 against the British occupation.