Atef Salem's "Imm el aroussa" ("Mother of the Bride" in English) is the first Egyptian movie that I've seen. If this is any indication, some great cinema has come from that country. This movie is a comedic look at the clash between tradition and modernity. When a family's eldest daughter announces plans to get married, the parents find out that the groom's family expects a number of over-the-top arrangements for the wedding! The expectations of a dowry are a representation of tradition, but the daughter embodies modernity (she even has a beehive hairdo). It's the kind of zany comedy of which there were many coming from Hollywood, but here we get a spin on the genre reflecting the Arab world, specifically Nasser-era Egypt. It's a movie that you're bound to enjoy.
"Mother of the Bride" was selected as the Egyptian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 37th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.
"Mother of the Bride" was selected as the Egyptian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 37th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.
