Tradition | Patronage or Conquest? Saudis are advancing the tradition of Egypt.

Saudi Arabia is flooding Egypt’s cultural scene, however the reception is blended. Some welcome the brand new “cooperation” between the 2 regional powerhouses, whereas others worry a hostile takeover by Riyadh.

In Cairo, traditionally the cultural capital of the Arab world, Minister of Tradition Nivin Al-Kalani just lately hosted Turki Al-Sheikh, head of the Saudi Common Leisure Authority.

The deep-pocketed sheikh has emerged as a Medici-like patron to Egypt’s cultural elite, courted by Cairo’s prime expertise to provide a number of upcoming movies.

A brand new three-way deal between Sheikh, Culleny and United Media Companies — a multimedia group linked to state intelligence that owns a lot of Egypt’s media and leisure business — covers a number of sectors, together with “theater, Collaboration” will seem. Cinema and Music”, stated the Ministry of Tradition.

For cultural critic Magda Khairullah, that is one other instance of “Saudi Arabia wanting to vary the stereotype about its relationship with artwork”.

On Egyptian tv, Sheikh defended the deal, saying it was benefiting everybody.

“Egypt is stuffed with expertise and professionals and Saudi Arabia goes via a serious renaissance,” he stated.

“By complementing one another, collectively we are able to take a large leap ahead.”

The conservative Gulf kingdom has shed its taboo fame through the years, loosening social guidelines and opening mixed-gender music festivals and cinemas.

“However you possibly can’t construct an artwork scene in a single day, and that is the place Egyptian expertise is available in,” Khairullah instructed AFP.

– Artwork ‘for a worth’ –

For a century, Cairo has been often called the “Hollywood of the Arab World”, its movies are well-loved and stars are acknowledged all through the area.

However with Egypt going through the worst financial disaster in its trendy historical past – together with the media business – Khairullah has warned that Saudi pursuits are creating extra unequal buyout energy than partnership.

“There’s a distinction between cooperation and financing; each side are creating and producing artwork via mutual cooperation, however Saudi Arabia will not be,” Khairullah stated.

“They’re getting our artwork, our stars and our music at a worth.”

Already, Saudi Arabia’s rising movie pageant circuit – a part of the dominion’s plan to draw 30 million vacationers a yr by 2030 – has been linked to Egyptian artists, actors and musicians.

However regardless of Riyadh’s emergence as a brand new cultural mecca for Arab expertise, all will not be properly.

Final month, the primary “Saudi-Egyptian Night time” — a musical occasion on the Cairo Opera Home — induced a stir amongst Egypt’s cultural critics.

Headlined by Egyptian expertise together with maestro Omar Khairat and singers Mohamed Mounir and Shirin Abdel Wahab, the night featured Cairo singer and his benefactor Turki al-Sheikh, who was the visitor of honor.

In response to Hind Salama, who led theater information protection within the Egyptian journal Rose El Youssef, the opera home as an establishment “had no respect”.

“It is a image of Egyptian artwork, not a personal stage,” he stated, including that “the Saudi Leisure Authority was solely accountable for invites, selecting celebrities. How can we name this cooperation?” “

Egyptian critic Mohamed Abdel Khaliq stated the occasion additionally violated a tradition ministry ban on suspending all festivals and occasions in solidarity with Palestinians beneath Israeli assault within the neighboring Gaza Strip since October.

“We canceled the Cairo Movie Pageant and we canceled the Arab Music Pageant. Now what? Has the carnage stopped?” Abdul Khaliq requested.

– ‘Huge Time’ Fund –

As a part of de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s technique to show Saudi Arabia’s oil wealth into films, sports activities, video video games and tourism, Riyadh is ramping up its appeal offensive, whereas dramatic home Overseeing social change.

In an uncommon transfer, the dominion has already granted Saudi citizenship to a handful of celebrities, together with Egyptian comedy star Mohamed Heinedi and speak present host Amr Adib.

The Sheikh has additionally introduced his “large time” fund for Arab Cinema, which is ready to provide 10 Egyptian movies this yr.

The trouble — 4 billion Egyptian kilos ($84 million) — is a serious increase for an business that has a wealth of expertise however an financial panorama that has stifled productiveness.

Within the Fifties, when the business was nationalized within the early days of the Republic, Egypt was the world’s third largest movie producer.

Now, regardless of producing three-quarters of all Arab movies, solely 21 movies had been launched in 2022.

As Saudi Arabia seeks to construct “its personal cultural repertoire”, Abdel Khaliq instructed AFP that “it’s pure for it to depend on Egyptian artists and technicians for the Saudi creative renaissance”.

And the Saudi-funded manufacturing is straight benefiting Egyptian artists — together with theater administrators and actors who at the moment are performing within the kingdom.

However Khairullah warned that this might be a double-edged sword.

“It is nice to have funding, so long as it would not include imposing concepts on the Egyptian artist,” he stated.

“Then it is only a technique to management.”

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