Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Netflix: First Arabic movie sparks morality row

Netflix: First Arabic movie sparks morality row

The first Arabic-language film shown on Netflix has sparked controversy in Egypt for alleged immorality and undermining of traditional values.

The movie involves discussions of sexual encounters and extramarital affairs and shows characters drinking alcohol.

Set in Lebanon, the film is a remake of the 2016 hit Italian film Perfect Strangers.

Egyptian actors and film critics have also voiced support for the movie.

The plot of the film, marketed by Netflix as Perfect Strangers and whose Arabic title translates as Dearest Friends, revolves around seven friends who meet for dinner. They decide to play a game in which everyone puts their mobile phones on the table, allowing any new messages or calls to be viewed by everyone.

It is the resulting discussions and admissions which have caused offence.

MP and well-known TV journalist Mustafa Bakry said he had complained to the speaker of the Egyptian parliament about the filmmakers. Mr Bakry urged the country's authorities to halt co-operation with Netflix "since this is not its first movie that targets the values and traditions of the Egyptian and Arab societies".

Egyptian lawyer Ayman Mahfouz said he had filed a lawsuit against the filmmakers accusing them of "promoting homosexuality", Al-Watan website reports. The accusation is probably pegged to the inclusion of a gay character in the film.

Mr Mahfouz said he had also sent a legal warning to the ministry of culture to prevent the film from being shown in Egypt, according to the Cairo 24 website.

Responding to calls for the movie to be banned in Egypt, the head of the Censorship Authority for Artistic Works said the country could not ban the film because it was a Lebanese production, the pro-opposition Darb website reports.

'The right not to watch'


Many prominent actors and critics have strongly defended the film, and have rejected accusations against its filmmakers.

During a phone call with Al Hikaya talk show, art critic Magda Moris said Dearest Friends did "not promote homosexuality or violate family traditions".

"We cannot ban the movie in Egypt and those against it have the right not to watch it," she added.

The Ahl Masr website reports that veteran actress Elham Shahin objected to attempts to involve parliament.

"The parliament has nothing to do with Netflix and the MPs are not guardians over the public," she said. "There are far bolder movies on Netflix."

Hate campaign


One of the film's female stars, Mona Zaki, has been the target of a hostile online campaign regarding a scene in which she removes her underwear.

Mona Zaki


Arabic hashtags carrying the names of the actress and the film were among the top trends in Egypt, with more than 17,000 comments.

Many users accused her of "violating society's values and ethics", as one termed it. Another user tweeted that the film was "a moral failing" within her scope of work.

The Syndicate Of Artists issued a statement stressing that it would "support the actress in case anyone tries to take any measures of any kind against her", Darb website reports.

"The syndicate will not stand idly by in the face of any verbal assault or attempt to intimidate any Egyptian artist as a result of a work of art he/she contributed to," the statement said.

Egyptian actress Elham Shahin also defended Ms Zaki, describing her as "a mature, honest artist with great performance [skills]", Darb also reports.

Similarly, well-known movie critic Tariq al-Shennawi told Egypt's ETC TV that "the scene does not deserve all this controversy surrounding it, and we did not see anything in it that outrages modesty or stirs instincts and no part of her body appears [unclothed in the film]".

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×