The cultural salon at Prince Taz Palace witnessed differences between clerics and critics on religious censorship over cinema. Sheikh Gamal Qutb, the former Chairman of the Fatwa Committee of Al-Azhar, castigated the Ministry of Culture for financing works of art, saying it wastes public funds over unqualified artists and under the pretext of creativity. He said those works should be subject to religious censorship. Film critic Magda Morris said we cannot say this is permissible and that is prohibited, as an artist reflects the people with all their good and bad sides. Film critic Nadi Fawzi said cinema has been suffering from intervention by religious institutions for 60 years.
Film critic Tarek el-Shenawi said the religious institutions should stay away from cinema. Akram Lamie, media advisor to the Evangelical Church, called for dialogue between religious institutions and artists, leaving the final verdict to the public.
