Cinema Cairo Palace: A Lens on Egyptian Cinema’s Golden Era

For a decade, from 1985 to 1996, renowned photographer Fouad ElKoury immersed himself in the world of Egyptian cinema, capturing its magic from behind the scenes. His photographs document over 17 film sets, legendary actors like Omar Sharif and Soad Hosni, and visionary filmmakers such as Youssef Chahine and Mohamed Khan. Some images, like his iconic portrait of Sherihan, have become emblematic, while many others are revealed to the public for the first time in this book.

Edited by Manal Khader, Fouad ElKoury, and Nour Salamé, with publication design by -scope Ateliers, Cinema Cairo Palace presents an unprecedented visual journey into an industry that shaped Arab pop culture. The book features a dual English-Arabic opening, a design choice reflected in the dual page numbering system using both Arabic and Hindi numerals, as well as inset section numbering in both languages. Through ElKoury’s lens, the book revives the energy of Egyptian cinema’s golden age, offering an intimate look at the artists, studios, and sets that defined a generation.