Minister of Culture Ahmed Fouad Henno has announced the launch of a comprehensive national plan to revive the Egyptian film industry. The plan focuses on developing state-owned cinematic assets into modern production hubs equipped with the latest technologies, while also preserving and digitally restoring Egypt's rich cinematic heritage to present it to new generations in high-quality formats that reflect its historical and artistic value. The Minister affirmed that this initiative comes in response to directives from the political leadership to invest in idle cultural assets and enhance their contribution to the creative economy. It also aims to provide a professional production environment that will help restore Egypt's leading position in cinema. Henno explained that the strategy rests on three main pillars: upgrading the infrastructure of studios and cinemas, reactivating idle assets to maximise their cultural and economic value, and establishing a professional national production entity to offer integrated services for creators and investors. As part of this effort, the Holding Company for Cinematic Productions, together with its subsidiary the Cinematic Asset Management Company, has set out an ambitious plan to modernise Cinema City, Studio Nahhas, and Studio Ahram. These facilities will be outfitted with advanced post-production technologies, including editing systems, colour grading, sound mixing, digital archiving, and upgraded fire safety and air conditioning systems. The plan also covers the renovation of sound stages and cinemas such as Miami, Diana, and Normandy. The company has already reopened several previously closed cinemas and has launched renovation work on Miami and Normandy cinemas for the first time in over 25 years. It has also settled disputes with distribution companies and upgraded audio-visual systems. Additionally, the Holding Company is working to establish a national production company to provide professional services in filming, editing, sound mixing, and colour grading. The aim is to support film and television production in Egypt and deliver competitive production models across the Arab world and the wider region. In parallel with modernisation efforts, the Holding Company—working alongside the Heritage Restoration Center for Audio-Visual Media at Media Production City—has digitally remastered several Egyptian cinema classics in high-quality 4K resolution. These titles include The Second Wife, The Sin, The Quail and Autumn, Sunset and Sunrise, The Man Who Lost His Shadow, Umm Hashim's Lamp, The Road, Cairo 30, A Taste of Fear, My Wife and the Dog, Between the Two Palaces, Palace of Desire, My Wife Is a General Manager, The Beggar, The Impossible, People and the Nile, A Crime in the Quiet District, and The Mirage. Ezz El-Din Ghoneim, CEO of the Holding Company, explained that this restoration initiative will help showcase these cinematic treasures on digital platforms and at international festivals, reinforcing Egypt's cultural leadership and its status as a prominent soft power in the region and beyond. Ghoneim added that the company has launched an official website to manage cinematic assets, alongside a dedicated YouTube channel to stream state-owned films. It has also signed a contract with a content protection company to prevent piracy and maximise digital revenues. Looking ahead, the next phase will involve equipping the Cinema City film lab with state-of-the-art restoration equipment, in collaboration with the Egyptian Armed Forces Engineering Authority and under the management of the Cinematic Asset Management Company. Given the scale of the project, restoration work will be split between the Heritage Restoration Center at Media Production City and the company's own lab to ensure efficiency and timely delivery. Furthermore, the Holding Company is considering organising a dedicated festival for restored films, featuring public screenings of rare works in their newly digitised formats at specially equipped theatres, complemented by discussions and seminars with critics, writers, and artists connected to these films. The goal is to create an interactive cultural experience that deepens public appreciation for these classics and highlights their enduring place in Egyptian cinematic history.
