Director Khaled Yosef told Agence France Presse on Wednesday that he was refusing to go along with changes to “Zawaj Bikarar Jumhuri” (Marriage by Presidential Decree) demanded by Egyptian censors.
He was particularly miffed by the demand that the film not refer to the president by name.
“I refuse to make this change, in addition to the other two changes required by the censors: modifying the film’s name, and changing the job of the star from an archive employee at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to any other profession, somewhere else,” Yosef told AFP.
Yosef, who also directed the movie “Al A’sefah” (Thunderstorm), added: “I don’t think at all that the invitation of the president to a wedding party is something that would lower his prestige, the way the censors see it, who are demanding that I substitute a senior official’s name.”
“On the contrary, it expresses a close relationship between the president and the public,” said the director.
The film, which costars Hani Ramzi and Hanan Turk, explores the marriage of an archive employee who invites the president to his wedding party. He later cancels the big day when the international media begins reporting on the president’s acceptance of the invitation.
The director confirmed that he had “filed a complaint against the censors and met with the grievance committee members,” who he said had understood his position and dealt with the situation openly - Albawaba.com
