Best Egyptian history movies
A curated collection of popular history movies from Egypt.
Adieu Bonaparte (1985)
Adieu Bonaparte (1985)
This big-budget historical epic from acclaimed Egyptian director Youssef Chahine features a crazed turn by Patrice Chereau as Napoleon Bonaparte. The film, an Egyptian-French co-production, deals with Napoleon's occupation of Alexandria and its effect on a typical Egyptian family. Michel Piccoli leads the cast as a general in Napoleon's army who tentatively befriends a local poet.
Jamila, the Algerian (1958)
Jamila, the Algerian (1958)
Djamila, a young Algerian woman living with her brother Hadi and her uncle Mustafa in the Casbah district of Algiers under the French occupation of Algeria, sees the full extent of injustice, tyranny and cruelty on his compatriots by French soldiers. Jamila's nationalist spirit will be strengthened when French forces invade her university to arrest her classmate Amina who commits suicide by ingesting poison. Shortly after the prominent Algerian guerrilla leader Youssef takes refuge with her, she realizes that her uncle Mustafa is part of this network of anti-colonial rebel fighters. Her uncle linked her to the National Liberation Front (FLN). A series of events illustrate Jamila's participation in resistance operations against the occupier before she was finally captured and tortured. Finally, despite the efforts of her French lawyer, Jamila is sentenced to death...
Oh Islam (1961)
Oh Islam (1961)
Set in the 14th century. Under their leader Timur, the Tartar hordes invade the Middle East and take over areas as widespread as Persia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, and Syria. A lowly woman from a harem (Lubna Aziz) rises to lead the Egyptians against the invaders.
The Bullet is Still in My Pocket (1974)
The Bullet is Still in My Pocket (1974)
Mohamed is a soldier who finds himself in Gaza after the defeat in the 1967 War. He returns to his native village feeling broken and depressed after witnessing the deaths of his fellow soldiers. He still loves Fatima but her father wants her to marry Abbas who exploits the farmers and eventually rapes her.
Wall of Heroism (1998)
Wall of Heroism (1998)
A representation of the lives of a group of officers and soldiers, portraying their intertwined fates and the tragedies they have to witness, both on the battlefield and at home.
Khalid ibn el Walid (1958)
Khalid ibn el Walid (1958)
The story of Khalid Ibn Al-Walid (592-642) the greatest military leader in the dawn of Islam during the life of prophet Muhammad and his caliphs Abu Bakr and Omar.
A Woman Shook the Throne of Egypt (1995)
A Woman Shook the Throne of Egypt (1995)
King Farouk finds himself enraged to carry out the British orders to appoint Mustafa El-Nahas as head of the ministry. During his journey to Qassas, he gets injured in a collision. He learns about the doctor Yusuf Rashad and his wife Noha. He admires women and follows her to work in the palace as a writer. , Especially after the husband is commissioned to form the Iron Guard, through which is discovered both the officer Istahter Mustafa Kemal and officer Anwar Sadat. Noha is separated from her husband and expelled by the king. She becomes a mistress for Mustafa Kemal. Calling for standing against the king, and working to form a secret cell with the Free Officers who help them to save the revolution from the dangers.
The Road to Eilat (1994)
The Road to Eilat (1994)
In 1969, a group of Egyptian frogmen target and destroy two Israeli vessels in the port of Eilat during the War of Attrition.
Al-Tareek Ela Eilat (1993)
Al-Tareek Ela Eilat (1993)
In 1969, a group of Egyptian frogmen target and destroy two Israeli vessels in the port of Eilat during the War of Attrition.
A Man in Our House (1961)
A Man in Our House (1961)
A Man in Our House is a 1961 Egyptian film about the resistance to British rule in Egypt which ended in the exile of King Farouk in 1954 and the rise to power of Gamal Abdel Nasser.
One Second (2021)
One Second (2021)
The story follows a young man who gets to know a girl and causes her many problems. But when he's exposed to an accident, his life takes a drastic turn.
Shafiqa and Metwally (1978)
Shafiqa and Metwally (1978)
The authorities summon many young men for forced labor in the Suez Canal, so Metwally leaves his sister Shafiqa alone with their old grandfather, whereupon Shafiqa is forced to succumb to the temptations of Diab, the district chief's son. As their sinful relationship is revealed, she is forced to leave for Asyut, where she becomes the mistress of Al Tarabishi, the supplier of slaves.
Sayed Darwish (1966)
Sayed Darwish (1966)
A biography about the iconic singer and composer Sayed Darwish, from his childhood in Alexandria until his sudden death on the day Saad Zaghloul returned from exile, reviewing the important milestones in his life and his most famous tunes and songs.
Winter of Discontent (2013)
Winter of Discontent (2013)
Amr is a 35 year old man who wakes up one day to a very different Egypt. Amr rarely leaves home as he works from his place designing software. It is January 25, 2011 and Amr starts the day with news of protests all over Cairo and marches leading to Tahrir square. Something tells him that these protests will lead to major political change. Farah, a woman in her early 30’s, is a news anchor on Egyptian television. The news Farah gives her audience is very different from the news presented online or on international news channels.
The Emigrant (1994)
The Emigrant (1994)
The biblical tale of Joseph is told from an Egyptian perspective in this interesting character study. In this film, Joseph is called Ram. Ram, tired of his family's backward superstitious life, and tired of being picked on by his brothers, wants to go to Egypt to study agriculture. His brothers travel with him across Sinai, but then suddenly sell him to Ozir, an Egyptian who works for a Theban military leader, Amihar. Amihar is impressed by Ram's drive and personal charm and so grants Ram some desolate land outside the capital. Ram soon finds himself a pawn in the political and sexual games between Amihar and his wife Simihit, a high priestess of the Cult of Amun.
Nasser 56 (1996)
Nasser 56 (1996)
Nasser 56 is a 1996 Egyptian historical film directed by Mohamed Fadel, starring Ahmed Zaki. The film focuses on the nationalization of the Suez Canal by Egypt's second President, Gamal Abdel Nasser, and the subsequent invasion of Egypt by Israel, the United Kingdom, and France.
Nagi El-Ali (1992)
Nagi El-Ali (1992)
After the assassination of the Palestinian artist Naji Al-Ali in London in 1987, the film flashes back to the stops that he went through in his life, starting from his displacement with his family to Lebanon, to his work in Kuwait, to his return to Lebanon during the Lebanese civil war.
Return My Heart (1957)
Return My Heart (1957)
In Egypt forties and before the 14th of July revolution in 1952, a poor family lives in a prince's palace where the father works as a gardener. The family has two children Ali and Hassan. Ali grows up liking the prince's daughter who loves him too. Now grown ups, they realize how impossible this love story is. Joining the army, Ali fights in Palestine while the brother joins the police and is part of the King's guards. Ali gets back from Palestine and joins the secret military movement that will soon rule Egypt, The Free Officers. The revolution starts and the Free Officers are now in charge, putting Ali against his brother as a guard for the king and also against his lover, the prince's daughter as the revolution will confiscate all her family's wealth.
Sunset and Sunrise (1970)
Sunset and Sunrise (1970)
In the wake of the Cairo Fire, Essam feels guilty for betraying his friend Samir by messing around with his wife Madiha. Essam decides to take revenge on Madiha's father who pressured him to marry her to avoid a scandal.
Gamal Abdel Nasser (1998)
Gamal Abdel Nasser (1998)
The biography of the iconic leader Gamal Abdel Nasser, from his birth to igniting the revolution to the defeat of 67 and his disagreement with Abdel Hakim Amer, then his planning for the War of Attrition and his sudden death that stunned the world in 1970.
Land of Peace (1957)
Land of Peace (1957)
The film takes place in Palestine and portrays the lives of freedom fighters trying to free their village from the control of the Israelis. Ahmed (Omar Sharif) is an Egyptian freedom fighter who ends up in this village. There, he meets Salma, a girl from the village. Together they try to save the Palestinians and always escape danger.
Rabea Al Adaweiah (1963)
Rabea Al Adaweiah (1963)
Rabi'a al-Adawiyya is a classic film from 1963 based on the life of the early Sufi saint and poet Rabi'a al-Adawiyya, also known as Rabi'a al Basri, in the second Islamic century.
Dawn of Islam (1971)
Dawn of Islam (1971)
This is the story of young Hassem, the son of a powerful sheik, set at the beginning of Hegira. When the youngster's uncle is murdered, Hassem decides to go to Mecca with a view to finding the culprit and punishing him. But what he discovers there is not the murderer but the prophet Muhammad. Touched by grace, Hassem converts to the new religion and comes back to his village to propagate the new faith. Which is not to his father's liking, since the Muslim religion is opposed to feudal rights and privileges. The infuriated sheik curses his son and starts persecuting the new converts.
Hell Underground (2001)
Hell Underground (2001)
Zaki Dawoud is a Jewish merchant who trades in leftover WWII weapons in El-Alamein and smuggles them to Israel with the help of the English Colonel Collins. Ghazy is a member of the resistance against the English occupation who is trying to stop the smuggling operation.
El Set (0)
El Set (0)
From the 1920s on, Egyptian icon Umm Kulthum became the first prominent Arab singer to disseminate her work to the masses via the new technologies of the times: radio, the phonograph, cinema and television.
Star of the East (1999)
Star of the East (1999)
The film presents a part of the biography of legendary artist Umm Kulthum since 1944, shedding light on her unfinished romance like her relationship with King Sharif Sabri's uncle, and Ahmed Rami. And her role in the revolution of 1952 and after the defeat of 1967 and the sacrifices she made.
Antar The Black Prince (1961)
Antar The Black Prince (1961)
Based on the life and legend of Antarah ibn Shaddad, a 6th century poet and hero whose poetic works are considered among the greatest in the Arab language.
Antar Invades the Desert (1960)
Antar Invades the Desert (1960)
Shadad sends his son Antarah to herd sheep after he refuses to acknowledge him as his son because of his dark skin and his mother is a slave and refuses to wed Antarah to his cousin Abla. When Banu Abs is invaded by another tribe, they enlist Antarah's help in exchange for allowing him to marry Abla.
Set Elhosn (1950)
Set Elhosn (1950)
In two imaginary states consumed by wars, the kings decide to resort to affinity to avoid wars. On the way, the king's son escapes from his guards, but he meets his awaited bride, Set Elhosn , without knowing who she is. He falls in love with her while trying to escape the marriage.
The Egyptian Martyr St. Menas (1989)
The Egyptian Martyr St. Menas (1989)
The life of St. Menas