Friday 09/January/2026 – 12:41 AM
The director confirmed Karim El-Shenawy The film industry in Egypt suffers from a large gap between the population and the actual demand for cinemas, noting that Egypt, despite its population exceeding 120 million people, sells only less than 10 million cinema tickets annually.
Al-Shennawi explained, during his interview with Cairo 24, that these numbers reflect a clear decline in viewing rates compared to a number of other Arab countries, pointing out that the UAE, which has a population of about 17 million residents, sells approximately 20 million movie tickets annually, and this also applies to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
He added that the large difference in turnout rates confirms that the film industry in Egypt is still far from achieving its true potential, despite its ancient history and broad cultural influence in the region.
Karim El-Shenawy stressed the importance of state intervention to support the film industry, whether through expanding the establishment of cinemas, or providing facilities and incentives that encourage investment, stressing that supporting the industry will directly reflect on Egyptian soft power and its ability to compete regionally.
Director Karim El-Shenawy: The multiplicity of censorship committees threatens the art industry
Director Karim El-Shenawy previously criticized the multiplicity of regulatory authorities and their overlapping roles, considering that what is happening has become a burden on the industry and not a protection for it.
Karim El-Shenawy stressed in statements to the program The Last Word, with the journalist Ahmed Salem, broadcast on the On channel, that the goal is not a clash, but rather to create an environment that allows the presentation of real and strong works that satisfy the audience and preserve the value of art.
Al-Shennawi said in his statements that the existence of censorship over artistic works is common and acceptable in any industry, but he wondered about the justification for the multiplicity of other committees that exercise the same oversight role.
