X-Large

X-Large, directed by Sherif Arafa, is an Egyptian comedy about Magdy, an overweight painter who reconnects with his childhood love, Dina, on Facebook, then hides his physical appearance from her by pretending to be his own cousin. Lead actor Ahmed Helmy wore an 18 kilogram prosthetic fat suit rather than actually gaining weight for the role; the suit took five hours to put on and two to remove, and specialist makeup artists were brought in from the United States. He has said he needed intravenous fluid support during long shooting hours to avoid sudden drops in blood pressure or blood sugar inside the suit, and planned his eating schedule around bathroom access. Production was delayed by the outbreak of the January 25, 2011 Egyptian Revolution; the film went on to gross more than 30 million Egyptian pounds and was well received by both audiences and critics. Who it's for: anyone curious about an Egyptian romantic comedy about obesity, in which the lead actor wore an 18 kilogram prosthetic suit designed by specialists flown in from the US instead of actually gaining weight. Who it's not for: those wanting a film with an easy production history, since this one was interrupted midway by the 2011 Egyptian Revolution.