Mohamed Diab Criticizes Expulsion of Palestinian Cinematographer From Egypt

Director and screenwriter Mohamed Diab has expressed his anger towards the decision of preventing Palestinian cinematographer Ihab Assal from entering Egypt, and his expulsion to Jordan by Egyptian authorities, as he was on a visit with director Hany Abu Asaad to shoot scenes of their upcoming film in the country.

Producer and screenwriter Mohamed Hefzy tried to intervene and mediate to help solve the issue, but Egyptian authorities insisted on their decision, which forced Hany Abu Asaad, the two-time Oscar nominee (for Omar and Paradise Now) to cancel his plans to shoot his scenes in Egypt.

On his Facebook account, and after adressing the main situation, Diab added “This is not the first incident of its kind, as Syrian director Mohamed Malas was previously prevented from entering Egypt to attend the Ismailia Film Festival as the head of its Jury.......What happened and is happening is a disgrace, and is a result of misleading propaganda by the media that is blessed by the government”

He concluded: “Hany Abu Asaad is a Palestinian director who sincerely loves this country, and the cancellation of his plans has made him terribly upset”.