Egypt Cairo MENA silent films Cairo Studio Misr Talaat Harb feature film cinema feature films films Hollywood
The cinema of Egypt refers to the flourishing film industry based in Cairo which is known to be the Hollywood of the MENA region.  In 1896, a limited number of silent films was made in Egypt beginning in 1896; 1927's Laila was notable as the first full-length feature. Cairo's film industry became a regional force with the coming of sound. Between 1930 and 1936, various small studios produced at least 44 feature films. In 1936, Studio Misr, financed by industrialist Talaat Harb, emerged as the leading Egyptian equivalent to Hollywood's major studios, a role the company retained for three decades.
