El Ruby House

Peter Mimi's 2023 Egyptian film begins when a private family event spreads on social media. Ibrahim takes his wife and children and moves to a village, meaning to get away from people and from the pressure of modern life. When his brother Ehab persuades him to return to the city for paperwork, the journey begins. The film works in the family comedy mould and most of the humour comes from the mismatch between village and city. The idea of social media abolishing privacy is the starting point but is not pursued; it is used as a setup and left. Karim Abdel Aziz leads, with his own son in the cast. The production sits at the standard of mainstream Egyptian cinema; it opened during a holiday period and did well at the box office. Who it's for: family audiences who like Egyptian popular comedy. Who it's not for: viewers expecting a serious treatment of its criticism of social media; the film leaves the subject on the surface.