Ascene in Khaled Youssef’s latest movie “Hena Maysara (In Time) has angered a number of Islamic scholars who accused the filmmaker and other members of the crew of conspiring against Egyptian society.
Abdel-Sabour Chahine has called on the attorney general to interrogate actresses Somaya El-Khashab and Ghada Abdel-Razeq, director Youssef, and scriptwriter Nasser Abdel-Rahman for promoting homosexuality and immorality in the controversial movie.
“I can’t reply to somebody who said he hasn’t watched the film, Youssef told Daily News Egypt. “Chahine has a preconceived opinion against cinema as being forbidden by religion.
Chahine has also accused the so-called Zionist and American institutions of backing the film as part of a scheme to distort the moral fabric of Egyptian society.
“Israel has not yet announced that I’m its spy in Egypt, Youssef joked. “I’m known for being anti-US and against normalization with Israel. And I was once held in custody for antagonizing Israel in my works.
The accusations made by Chahine and other Islamic scholars are based on a scene featuring El-Khashab’s character – a destitute, down-on-her-luck resident of a Cairo squatter area – and Abdel-Razeq’s character, a lesbian madame. The scene vaguely depicts the latter attempting to seduce Nahed (played by El-Khashab). Appalled by her host’s sexual orientation, Nahed rejects Abdel-Razeq’s advances and runs away.
“The scene did not intend to present the issue of homosexuality, which I’m not against discussing by any means. Rather, it was a statement about how poverty turns a woman’s humanity into just a body that can be violated, Youssef argued.
