The movie "Mary's Choice" is taking center stage.

The film "Mary's Choice" has been trending on social media in Egypt for the past few hours, following the crisis surrounding its release, which culminated in director Mahmoud Yehia announcing an open-ended hunger strike in protest of its exclusion from Zawya Cinema's screening schedule.

Zawya Cinema Statement

Zawya Cinema's management issued an official statement clarifying that the responsibility for the commercial screening lies with the distribution companies, not the theaters themselves. The statement noted that the theater had proposed a special screening organized by the distribution company, which the director rejected. Nevertheless, the theater ultimately decided to host the film out of concern for the director's safety, while emphasizing that it was not solely responsible for the distribution crisis.

Roots of the crisis

The crisis began when Mahmoud Yehia, who won the Best Director Award at the Alexandria Film Festival for his work on "Mary's Choice," decided to stage a sit-in outside Zawya Cinema to protest the refusal to screen his film. The move sparked widespread controversy, with supporters viewing the situation as a cry against the monopoly of independent cinema outlets, and opponents viewing the strike as an unfair means of pressuring a cultural institution with limited resources.

Mixed reactions

The film community was divided in its response to the crisis. While some audiences and critics expressed solidarity with Yehia, considering him a defender of his artistic rights, others warned that the escalation could harm the future of independent cinema. Director Karim El-Shenawy commented that resorting to excessive grievances could push artists to make extreme decisions, emphasizing that art is based on dialogue, not physical battles.

The director's position and his continued strike

In a video posted on Facebook, Mahmoud Yehia emphasized his continued strike until his film receives its rightful screening. He considered himself waging an unfair battle with the distribution and exhibition system, noting that he was assaulted during his protest. However, he clarified that he is not calling for a boycott of Zawya Cinema, but rather seeking justice for his film and ensuring its access to audiences.