How Egypt’s filmmakers struggle with censorship boundaries today

Egyptian filmmakers are up against strict moral boundaries today in a country once known as the “Hollywood of the Middle East,” according to a report from the BBC. Director Hala Khalil says she has had to cut parts of her films for not passing the watchful eyes of censors. She attributes the tougher restrictions on racy scenes to the influence of the more conservative GCC on Egyptian filmmakers during the 1970s. “Dealing with the audience started to be on ethical and religious grounds, not on an artistic one,” says Khalil (watch, runtime: 02:03)