About the Cinema Industry Chamber
Establishment Decisions of the Chamber:
The Cinema Industry Chamber was established by Ministerial Decree No. 458 of 1947, dated September 17, 1947, and published in the official gazette (Issue No. 89) on September 25, 1947. Its purpose is to safeguard the shared interests of the permanently established entities in Egypt involved in the cinema industry and to represent this industry before public authorities.
On October 15, 1960, Ministerial Decree No. 486 of 1960 was issued to establish the chamber, though it was rescinded. Subsequently, on March 3, 1972, Ministerial Decree No. 203 of 1972 re-established the Cinema Industry Chamber, alongside other industrial chambers under the Egyptian Federation of Industries.
The Egyptian Federation of Industries began focusing on creating industrial chambers to bring together professionals in various fields as early as 1927. By 1947, the Cinema Industry Chamber was among these chambers.
The government recognized the importance of these chambers for national economic development. It officially acknowledged them through Law No. 73 of 1947, passed on July 7, 1947, which authorized the establishment of industrial chambers by decree from the Minister of Trade and Industry.
Ministerial decrees have since led to the creation of 24 industrial chambers, including the Cinema Industry Chamber (established by Ministerial Decree No. 458 of 1947), which aims to protect the mutual interests of entities in the cinema industry.
The first chairman of the Cinema Industry Chamber was His Excellency Hosni Bey Naguib, who served from 1947 to 1956. On June 8, 1958, Ministerial Decree No. 170 of 1958 was issued, outlining the defined industrial chambers, excluding the Cinema Industry Chamber and the Chambers of tourism and Navigation.
On October 15, 1960, Ministerial Decree No. 486 of 1960 called for the re-establishment of the Cinema Industry Chamber, but this was later revoked. It wasn't until 1972 that the chamber was fully re-established under Ministerial Decree No. 203 of 1972 by the Minister of Industry, Petroleum, and Mineral Resources, adding it to the chambers under the Egyptian Federation of Industries.
The first chairman after its re-establishment was engineer Hassan Ramzy, serving from 1972 to 1977, followed by Mounib Shafie, Mohamed Hassan Ramzy, and Farouk Sabry (who serves as chairman currently). The General Director of the Chamber was Mr. Fathy Zakki Osman until 1988, followed by Mr. Sayed Abdel Azim Sokkar, and later Mr. Sayed Fathy Hassanien Shaqra.
Notable Members of the Board:
- Magda El-Sabahi
- Farid Shawqi
- Ezzat El Alaili
- Hussein Fahmy
- Nour El Sherif
- Mahmoud Yassine
- Mohamed Sobhi
Notable directors who have served on the board:
- Helmy Rafla
- Hossam El Din Mostafa
- Salah Abu Seif
Key media figures who have held board positions:
- Dr. Dorreya Sharaf El Din
Prominent writers of stories, screenplays, and dialogues:
- Farouk Sabry
- Adly El Mowled Al-Muhami
- Samir Abdel Azim
The Chamber Includes:
- Cinema film producers.
- Studios and laboratories for film printing and processing.
- Film distributors.
- Cinema screening venues.