Egyptian director sticks tongue out at movie kisses
The film "Stop Kissing Me" takes a satirical look at the romance scenes in Egyptian films, but risks getting the kiss of death from Egypt's censorship authority.
CAIRO — On the Egyptian screen, a kiss is not just a kiss, but a prelude to censorship. That's why many Egyptian directors limit kissing and sex scenes to a short peck on the lips before the lights dim, leaving the rest to the imagination of the viewers.
It is therefore no surprise that Ahmed Amer’s "Balash Tebosni" ("Stop Kissing Me"), a mockumentary that narrates the difficulties of a young director in shooting the perfect kissing scene, has been an adventure since 2014. The film had its debut at the Dubai International Film Festival on Dec. 7, but it remains unclear when or whether it will hit the Egyptian cinemas. Many critics expect the film to face difficulties from censorship authorities to get a permit for theatrical release in Egypt.
