The Lawyer

Raafat El Mehi's 1983 Egyptian film follows Sbankh, a lawyer sentenced to a month in prison for contempt of court. He decides to turn the sentence to advantage and sets about making connections inside. The satire is aimed at the profession. Sbankh treats the law as a means of finding clients; the narrative shows this not as individual corruption but as how the system works, and makes the courtrooms ground for comedy. Adel Emam leads. The film drew a reaction from lawyers on release and was argued over for demeaning the profession. The tone sits between comedy and black humour. Who it's for: those who like classic Egyptian comedy and social satire. Who it's not for: viewers expecting measured criticism; the film builds its characters in coarse strokes.