Terrorism and Kebab
Encyclopedia
Terrorism and Kebab is a popular 1992 Egyptian comedy film starring Adel Imam.
in Cairo
, a well-known mammoth-sized government building that is a center of bureaucratic work. Adel Imam's character, Ahmed, queues up at the Mogamma one day to try to get a school transfer for his children, but gets bogged down. Endless lines of citizens march through the building and up and down its iconic spiral staircases seeking help. One government worker frustrates Ahmed particularly, because he is constantly praying in a show of alleged piousness to avoid getting any work done. This leads to a scuffle between the two, and eventually Ahmed ends up with a rifle from a guard and shots are fired in the resulting confusion. A mass spontaneous evacuation of the building ensues, Ahmed inadvertently takes the building hostage, and subsequently is assumed to be a terrorist. He is joined in his "takeover" by a few other "misfits," including Hind, a prostitute played by Youssra
.
Ahmed and his new compatriots negotiate with the Minister of Interior
, who fears the building will be blown up, and he demands kebab
for all the hostages, as meat is too expensive for most Egyptians. Writer Wahid Hamed has described the symbolic meaning of the demand: "People don't know what they want ... They are crushed, their dreams are impossible, they can't believe their demands can be fulfilled, so they ask for kebab."
As the film draws to a close, Ahmed orders the "hostages" to leave the building, and he will wait behind to meet up with the military police now ready to swarm the building, assuming he will be killed. The crowd, however, insists that he leave with them. Ahmed walks out unnoticed among his former "hostages", and the commandos find the building empty.
newspaper listed the film as No. 15 on the 15 best Egyptian films of all time.
Plot
The action primarily takes place in The MogammaThe Mogamma
The Mogamma , also spelled Mugamma is a government building in Cairo, Egypt. The Mogamma building was given as a gift by the Soviet Union and was ordered for construction in 1950. The building was completed in 1952, just before the revolution in Egypt...
in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, a well-known mammoth-sized government building that is a center of bureaucratic work. Adel Imam's character, Ahmed, queues up at the Mogamma one day to try to get a school transfer for his children, but gets bogged down. Endless lines of citizens march through the building and up and down its iconic spiral staircases seeking help. One government worker frustrates Ahmed particularly, because he is constantly praying in a show of alleged piousness to avoid getting any work done. This leads to a scuffle between the two, and eventually Ahmed ends up with a rifle from a guard and shots are fired in the resulting confusion. A mass spontaneous evacuation of the building ensues, Ahmed inadvertently takes the building hostage, and subsequently is assumed to be a terrorist. He is joined in his "takeover" by a few other "misfits," including Hind, a prostitute played by Youssra
Youssra
Yousra is an Egyptian actress and singer. Her birth name is Civene Nassim. She is the sister-in-law of actor Hesham Selim, son of famous Egyptian football player, actor and former president of Al-Ahly, Saleh Selim. Youssra is considered as a glamorous icon for the Middle East. Despite obstacles,...
.
Ahmed and his new compatriots negotiate with the Minister of Interior
Ministry of Interior (Egypt)
The Ministry of Interior of Egypt is part of the Cabinet of Egypt. It is responsible for law enforcement in Egypt. The current minister is Mansour el-Essawy, appointed 5 March 2011....
, who fears the building will be blown up, and he demands kebab
Kebab
Kebab is a wide variety of meat dishes originating in Middle East and later on adopted by the Middle East, and Asia Minor, and now found worldwide. In English, kebab with no qualification generally refers more specifically to shish kebab served on the skewer...
for all the hostages, as meat is too expensive for most Egyptians. Writer Wahid Hamed has described the symbolic meaning of the demand: "People don't know what they want ... They are crushed, their dreams are impossible, they can't believe their demands can be fulfilled, so they ask for kebab."
As the film draws to a close, Ahmed orders the "hostages" to leave the building, and he will wait behind to meet up with the military police now ready to swarm the building, assuming he will be killed. The crowd, however, insists that he leave with them. Ahmed walks out unnoticed among his former "hostages", and the commandos find the building empty.
Reception
The film has been described as a "classic Egyptian comedy about government corruption, bumbling and the good hearted nature of the sha'ab (people) of Egypt." The film was a great success, and has even has been cited as the most popular Egyptian film of all time. A 2007 poll of Egyptian critics taken by Al-AhramAl-Ahram
Al-Ahram , founded in 1875, is the most widely circulating Egyptian daily newspaper, and the second oldest after al-Waqa'i`al-Masriya . It is majority owned by the Egyptian government....
newspaper listed the film as No. 15 on the 15 best Egyptian films of all time.
Primary cast includes
- Adel Imam - Ahmed
- YoussraYoussraYousra is an Egyptian actress and singer. Her birth name is Civene Nassim. She is the sister-in-law of actor Hesham Selim, son of famous Egyptian football player, actor and former president of Al-Ahly, Saleh Selim. Youssra is considered as a glamorous icon for the Middle East. Despite obstacles,...
- Hind - Kamal el-ShennawiKamal el-ShennawiMohammed Kamal el-Shennawi was an Egyptian film and television actor, director and producer. Maternal uncle of Egyptian American actor Haythem Noor and Amr Youssri.- Filmography :...
- Minister of Interior