''The Open Door'' (

Egyptian Arabic Egyptian Arabic, locally known as Colloquial Egyptian, or simply as Masri, is the most widely spoken vernacular Arabic variety in Egypt. It is part of the Afro-Asiatic language family, and originated in the Nile Delta in Lower Egypt. The esti ...

: الباب المفتوح, translit. ''El-Bab el-Maftuh'') is a 1963 Egyptian

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed by

Henry Barakat Henry Antoun Barakat (, 11 June 1914, Cairo – 27 May 1997, Cairo) was a well known Egyptian film director. Biography He was born in Shubra to a Melkite Greek Catholic father of Syro-Lebanese descent, and a Syro-Lebanese mother. His fathe ...

and starring

Faten Hamama Faten Ahmed Hamama (, ; 27 May 1931 – 17 January 2015) was an Egyptian film and television actress and film producer. She made her screen debut in 1939, when she was only seven years old. Her earliest roles were minor, but her activity an ...

, Saleh Selim, and Mahmoud Moursy. The film was adapted from Egyptian writer Latifa al-Zayyat's 1960

novel A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the for 'new', 'news', or 'short story (of something new)', itself from the , a singular noun use of the neuter plural of ...

of the same name and recipient of the inaugural Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature.Oliver Leaman Companion Encyclopedia of Middle Eastern and North African Film 1134662521 - 2003 - Some of Barakat's highly praised films were literary adaptations, such as the patriotic Fi Baytinna Rajul/ A Man in our House (1961) and the quasi-feminist al-Bab al-Maftuh / The Open Door (1963). Barakat discovered, moreover, the Lebanese singer Sabah (singer) and presented her for the first time in al-Qalb Lahu Wahid/ The Heart Loves Only One in 1945. He directed in Lebanon two of the most successful musicals, starring the Rahbani Brothers and the singer Fayruz (singer) Safar Barlak (1967) ..

Plot

Set in the 1950, ''The Open Door'' follows Layla, a young woman challenging societal norms and family expectations. Layla starts by joining a student protest against her father's conservative values, leading to conflicts at home. She is then pressured into an arranged marriage with her philosophy professor, highlighting the limited choices for women in that era. Throughout the film, Layla navigates various relationships while asserting her independence. A turning point comes when Layla goes on a hunger strike to protest against her constrained life. Meanwhile, amidst political turmoil, Layla's personal journey reflects Egypt's broader social changes during the Suez Canal Crisis. Ultimately, Layla finds love and support in Hussayn who respects her desire for autonomy and represents a hopeful future for her and women's rights in Egypt.

Cast

as Layla Soulayman * Saleh Selim as Hussayn Amer * Mahmoud Moursy as Dr. Fouad *

Shwikar Shwikar Ibrahim ( ; 4 November 1938 – 14 August 2020) was an Egyptian actress. She started her career in Alexandria in some tragedic roles before she was discovered by the Egyptian film director A film director or filmmaker is a person ...

as Gamila * Hassan Youssef as Essam * Layla Anwar as Sanaa * Mahmoud El-Heddini as Mahmoud Soulayman * Nahed Samir as Layla's mother * Ya'qoub Mikhail as Layla's father

References

External links

* 1963 films 1960s Arabic-language films 1963 drama films Egyptian drama films 1960s Egyptian films Arabic-language drama films {{Egypt-film-stub