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Stigma in the portrayal of psychiatry in Egyptian cinema

Dina Aly El-Gabry, Karim Abdel Aziz, Mohamed El-Gabry, Maria Campo-Redondo, Emmanuel Stip · Middle East Current Psychiatry · 2026

Abstract Background Situated within a transcultural framework, this article traces the portrayal of psychiatry and mental health in Egyptian cinema, analysing representations of psychiatric disorders, therapeutic practices, and professional roles. It juxtaposes Egyptian productions with films from Europe, North America, India, and elsewhere to identify convergences and divergences in the cinematic depiction of stigma, illness, and care. Early Egyptian films often relied on sensational or comic tropes that mirrored prevailing social misconceptions; by contrast, more recent titles— Bab el Hadid (Cairo Station), Asef ‘ala el Ez‘ag (Sorry for the Disturbance, 2008), and Al Feel al Azraq (The Blue Elephant)—mark a shift towards psychological realism and empathetic engagement. Literary influences, notably Naguib Mahfouz and Ihsan Abdel Quddous, enrich characterisation and deepen the humanistic portrayal of mental suffering.

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