Silence, We're Rolling

Silence, We're Rolling
Directed byYoussef Chahine
Screenplay byYoussef Chahine
Produced byHumbert Balsan
Gabriel Khoury
Marianne Khoury
StarringLatifa
CinematographyPierre Dupouey
Edited byAnnette Dutertre
Music byGamal Békhit
Omar Khairat
Kaushar Mostapha
Release date
  • 2001 (2001)

Silence, We're Rolling (Arabic: سكوت .. حنصور, romanizedSukut .. hnsur, French: Silence... on tourne, also spelled Silence... We're Rolling) is a 2001 musical comedy film written and directed by Youssef Chahine. A co-production between Egypt and France, it premiered at the 58th Venice International Film Festival.

Plot

Cast

  • Latifa as Malak
  • Ahmed Bedir as Alphi
  • Ahmed Wafik as Lamei
  • Magda El-Khatib as Grand-mère
  • Zaki Abdel Wahab as Ezz Eldine
  • Ahmed Mehrez as Abbas
  • Ruby as Paula
  • Mostafa Shaaban as Nasser

Production

The film was produced by MISR Intl Films, Ognon Pictures, Havas Image and France 2 Cinéma.[1] The film's production proved to be difficult, as Chahine faced several health issues during the shootings.[2]

Release

The film had its world premiere out of competition at the 58th edition of the Venice Film Festival.[3] It was also screened at the New York Film Festival and at the Marrakech International Film Festival.[2]

Reception

Variety's critic Deborah Young described the film as "an enjoyable introduction to authentic Egyptian cinema [...] shot with irony and intelligence".[4] Peter Bradshaw from The Guardian praised it, writing "It's impossible not to be carried along by the hellzapoppin' high spirits of Chahine's movie", in which "the beating heart of show business pulses gloriously".[5] Ed Gonzalez from Slant Magazine called it "a rollicking paean to the Hollywood and Bollywood musicals of yesteryear", and "an eye-popping, almost Sturgesian celebration of art imitating life, and vice versa."[6]

References

  1. ^ Dyja, Eddie (2003). BFI Film and Television Handbook 2004. BFI Publishing. p. 368. ISBN 0851709907.
  2. ^ a b Fine, Janet (17 October 2001). "Challenge perks vet helmer". Variety. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  3. ^ "'Silenzio... si gira' di Youssef Chahine". Corriere della Sera. 18 September 2006. p. 13.
  4. ^ Young, Deborah (27 October 2001). "Silence, We're Rolling". Variety. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  5. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (31 May 2002). "Silence, We're Rolling". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  6. ^ Gonzalez, Ed (25 December 2001). "Review: 'Silence...We're Rolling'". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 21 October 2025.