Cairo is a big city packed with things to do. Most residents could think of at least 10 activities to recommend to a visitor as ways to pass the time, including such contemporary cultural delights as going to the movies or watching a live performance.
The city boasts some great alternative venues that showcase local artists or screen films, including plenty of art-house movies that don't get such wide coverage. Over the last few years more and more places have popped up, demonstrating an impressive commitement to all sorts of art forms — including movies.
For those seeking a change from the usual diet of Hollywood nonsense — chick-flicks, gripping dramas, horror movies — the capital's alternative movie venues offer real hope. While there are many to choose from, the following five seem to have the edge in terms of ambience and movie selection.
Balcon Heliopolis is a small, hip corner in the heart of Heliopolis. It started out as a place Heliopolis locals went to hang out and practice a certain kind of intellectualism. Headed by Mohamed Farouk, the whole operation grew into a venue that hosted local musical talent of the alternative variety.
The movies at Balcon Heliopolis are hand-picked by the manager Mohamed Farouk
But Balcon is now famous for its film screenings, featuring movies hand-picked by Farouk. Balcon screen films that were overlooked by mainstream audiences but that are noteworthy nonetheless. They are mostly films that lean towards the dramatic side of cinema, with a strong cerebral quality at their core. Entry is mostly free, unless there's a big event or large crowds are expected at the weekend.
In the past couple of years, Zamalek was graced with the presence of 3elbet Alwan, a small venue that has generated some buzz for itself by hosting several local musical acts. The space is on the small side and the audiences for the music shows huddle together, making for a very cozy environment that underscores the solidarity of the art scene and those interested in it.
3elbet Alwan offers both music and movies in a cozy Zamalek atmosphere
Their mission as its advertised on their Facebook page as: “To be the home of art.” In this regard, they do a lot of things, such as marketing, drawing, handmade crafts and, of course, film screenings. Their focus is less on film and more on art as a whole, but they do screen some pretty great films. The movies are sometimes of the "underground" and sometimes not. But take our word for it — they have good taste and you’ll have fun.
Soon after it started, the downtown eatery Eish & Malh also billed itself as a true crossroads of culture in Cairo. Egypt Independent conducted an in-depth interview with the owners, and their commitment to art can only be described as admirable.
Daytime diners at Eish & Malh, which also offers "Dinner at the Movies" events
One of their big events is Dinner at the Movies, a collaboration with Cimatheque, a film collective in the downtown area. The event entails several courses of intricately prepared food that is served in between screenings of short films chosen by Cimatheque. The event is a set menu and so you pay for a beautiful meal and then enjoy the films that go with it. One such event featured black-and-white silent shorts, which is definitely not something you can catch at any movie theatre in Cairo.
Room Art Space and Cafe is another one of those places — like 3elbet Alwan — that suddenly popped up out of nowhere and started hosting some pretty cool events and local talent. Located in Zamalek, it hosts film screenings regularly and chooses the films well.
Room Art Space and Cafe, a versatile venue in Garden City ideal of movie-watching
The last film screened — just a few days ago — was the underground powerhouse "Dancer in the Dark", featuring the monstrously powerful Bjork and directed by Lars Von Trier. This particular director may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it’s still better than "The Blind Side". Screenings are usually free, unless otherwise stated on the Facebook page.
The places mentioned above combine movie-watching with a bunch of other activities, from music to sumptuous dining experiences. There is one place, however, that can rightly be called a cinema, dedicated as it is to the big screen experience, popcorn and all. Zawya is advertised as an "art house cinema" and it is built like a regular movee theatre, with a cinema-size screen and comfy chairs in arranged in rows on a slight incline. Due in part to its conventional (and comfortable) construction — and its Downtown location — Zawya is responsible for most of Cairo’s independent film screenings.
Zawya offers a real art-house experience, complete with comfy chairs and popcorn
In true art-house style, Zawya selects underground films that most of your friends have probably never heard of. Currently showing is a Lebanese film entitled a "Very Big Shot". What’s really great about Zawya is that they provide the "other side" of Arab media, along with movies from a wide range of non-Arab countries. For those Egyptians who are bored with the typical Egyptian film format and the same five themes that repeat each year, Zawya could be a breath of fresh air.
There is a great deal of Arabic cinema out there that is both creative and evidence that the Arab World can create better films than what the usual offering from Egyptian production company El-Sobky. And this is perhaps one of the strengths not only of Zawya, but all of the above movie-watching options, since they provide a window on a whole world of foreign filmmaking.
Other places worth watching include the French Cultural Centre, which hosts film screenings every now and then. There are also big movie events in Cairo from time to time, such as the Cairo International Film Festival.
So there you have it. The next time a visitor to Cairo asks you how to pass an evening, you'll know exactly what to suggest.
