Alexandria again and forever [DVD]

Episode number 3 of Series “Alexandria Trilogy”.
In this third and final instalment of Youssef Chahine’s “Alexandria” trilogy (preceded by Alexandria, why? and An Egyptian story) Chahine’s protagonist and alter-ego, Yehia, is now an aging filmmaker who laments the state of the Egyptian film industry and joins his colleagues on strike to protest their circumstances. Simultaneously Yehia (played by the director himself) finds himself attracted to two actors - the handsome young Amr, who Yehia works with on laboured productions, and Nadia, with whom he hopes to collaborate. Following on from the themes explored in “An Egyptian story”, Yahia heartlessly forfeits his personal relationships in favour of his work. Yahine’s struggle to reconcile his art with his ambitions and personal failings is set against Egypt’s divisive drive, in the 1980s, toward democratic reform. The film takes on a surreal flavour with several musical interludes (one delightfully recalling “Singin’ in the rain” as Yehia and Amr celebrate winning the Silver Bear award at Berlin). Chahine applies his signature energy to the film - an appealing mix of whimsy, satire and barbed attacks on the political and social situation in his beloved homeland.