How Egyptian entertainment has changed under military rule

HESHAM ASHMAWYTVTV was executed twice. Egypt’s most wanted man, an army-officer-turned-jihadist, was hanged in March 2020, out of public view. Two months later, millions of Egyptians watched the “execution” of an actor playing him on “The Choice”, a television show about terrorism, produced by state intelligence. To promote the episode, the spy agency leaked videos of Mr Ashmawy’s real execution. “The Choice” (pictured) was among the most-watched programmes last year during Ramadan, high season for Egyptian .Egypt’s and film industry was long the envy of the Arab world. During the 20th century, movies were among the country’s biggest exports. From Rabat to Baghdad, Arabs learned to mimic Egypt’s distinctive dialect by way of its wildly popular musicals and comedies. The trade gave Egypt cultural influence—and its rulers a propaganda tool. When cinemas took off in the 1930s, King Fuad played newsreels promoting himself before features. President Gamal Abdel Nasser, in turn, made sure films portrayed the monarchy, which he overthrew, as corrupt and wicked.