Egypt’s Court Lifts Ban on Controversial Film “El Molhed”

After much controversy, Egypt’s Administrative Court on Sunday ruled on the fate of the film “The Atheist”, deciding that it can be screened and overturning a previous ban.

The court noted that the film has an official license from the Egyptian Censorship Authority for Audio-Visual Works.

It rejected lawsuits seeking to halt the film and dismissed one case due to the absence of an administrative decision that could be legally challenged.

The ruling came after the Ministry of Culture and the Supreme Council of Culture submitted official documents proving that the film had been granted a screening license by the Censorship Authority under number 121 for the year 2023, confirming the existence of a positive administrative decision permitting its release.

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Lawyer Mortada Mansour had filed a lawsuit requesting the film be banned, claiming it was an artistic work “insulting to Islam.”

Earlier, a source from the film team told Al Arabiya that a regulatory body intervened to resolve the controversy, forming a committee of religious scholars to review the work and provide a final opinion on its content.

Following discussions, the regulatory authorities received a report containing recommendations to change the film’s title, which had sparked widespread debate on social media. The committee also recommended deleting some scenes, modifying others, and presenting them “appropriately” to ensure the film’s message is conveyed clearly and without misunderstanding.

“The Atheist” is written by Ibrahim Eissa and directed by Mohamed Gamal El Adel, starring Ahmed Hatem, Mahmoud Hemida, Sherine Reda, Tara Emad, and Naglaa Badr.