Cinema
Cairo Station
باب الحديد
Youssef Chahine · 1958
Synopsis
Qinawi, a cripple, sells newspapers at Cairo's central station. He is in love with Hanuma, a seller of cold drinks who runs between the trains and amuses herself at his expense. She loves Abu Serih, a respected porter who is trying to organise his colleagues against their exploitation. Rejected and mocked, Qinawi sinks into an obsession that no one takes seriously, amid the crowd of travellers, merchants and railwaymen.
Context
Chahine directed the film and himself played the role of Qinawi, with Hind Rostom and Farid Shawqi; the shooting took place at the station itself. Presented at the Berlin festival in 1958, it was on its release such a violent failure that a spectator, the director recounted, spat in his face. The Harvard Film Archive sees it as a decisive turning point in his work, and the Criterion Collection has restored it in 4K; it is now counted among the great works of Arab cinema.
Who it is for
Black-and-white feature film of about seventy-seven minutes, in Egyptian Arabic, restored and subtitled.
Prizes and reception
A failure on release, it has become one of the most admired Arab films, and a turning point in its author's work.
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