Saudi Arabia has emerged as the primary export market for Egyptian films, with nine out of the top 10 most successful titles from Egypt being screened in the kingdom between 2021 and 2024. The Saudi exhibition sector's growing box office revenues have catapulted Egyptian cinema to a new level, with 27% of the total box office earnings coming from films made by Egyptians.
A notable example is the romantic comedy "Bahebek" which earned $2.8 million domestically but skyrocketed to $22.9 million abroad, making it a global hit in West Asia. Other successful Egyptian titles include "Sons of Rizk 3: Knockout" and "A Stand Worthy of Men", both of which performed exceptionally well in the Saudi market.
Egyptian films are now dominating the local box office, with US films holding just 28.5% share in 2025. Mid-budget Egyptian comedies like Omar El Mohandes' "Siko Siko" have proven to be highly successful, with a gross of $4 million in Egypt and an additional $4.2 million in Saudi Arabia.
The growth of the Egyptian film industry has also been driven by increased interest in arthouse titles, with Khaled Mansour's "Seeking Haven for Mr. Rambo" becoming Egypt's biggest-ever arthouse release. The report suggests that Arab filmmakers are now leveraging market share through a new player UVF, which is financing and distributing mid-budget Egyptian films as a prelude to releasing them internationally.
The Cairo Film Connection has played a key role in helping Arab filmmakers complete their films and reach local and international audiences, including A-list festivals. Recent successes include Kaouther Ben Hania's "Four Daughters", Amjad Al Rasheed's "Inshallah a Boy", and Mehdi Barsaoui's "Aïcha", all of which have received critical acclaim at major film festivals.
A notable example is the romantic comedy "Bahebek" which earned $2.8 million domestically but skyrocketed to $22.9 million abroad, making it a global hit in West Asia. Other successful Egyptian titles include "Sons of Rizk 3: Knockout" and "A Stand Worthy of Men", both of which performed exceptionally well in the Saudi market.
Egyptian films are now dominating the local box office, with US films holding just 28.5% share in 2025. Mid-budget Egyptian comedies like Omar El Mohandes' "Siko Siko" have proven to be highly successful, with a gross of $4 million in Egypt and an additional $4.2 million in Saudi Arabia.
The growth of the Egyptian film industry has also been driven by increased interest in arthouse titles, with Khaled Mansour's "Seeking Haven for Mr. Rambo" becoming Egypt's biggest-ever arthouse release. The report suggests that Arab filmmakers are now leveraging market share through a new player UVF, which is financing and distributing mid-budget Egyptian films as a prelude to releasing them internationally.
The Cairo Film Connection has played a key role in helping Arab filmmakers complete their films and reach local and international audiences, including A-list festivals. Recent successes include Kaouther Ben Hania's "Four Daughters", Amjad Al Rasheed's "Inshallah a Boy", and Mehdi Barsaoui's "Aïcha", all of which have received critical acclaim at major film festivals.
The growth of the industry is definitely driven by more people watching movies abroad, especially in West Asia. I mean, it's not surprising that romantic comedies like "Bahebek" do well - who doesn't love a good laugh and some romance? 
But seriously, its great to see Egyptian filmmakers getting recognition for their work, whether its through UVF or other film connections. The fact that films like "Seeking Haven for Mr. Rambo" are becoming bigger hits in the arthouse scene is also super exciting 
! I mean, to see how far they've come in just a few years is amazing 
. It's awesome that Saudi Arabia has become their biggest export market - it shows that Egyptian films are really connecting with audiences there 
.
. It just goes to show that with hard work and support, anything is possible 
. I'm definitely keeping an eye on these talented filmmakers and hoping they keep pushing boundaries and making amazing content! 
. The growth of the Egyptian film industry is giving me LIFE and I'm loving all the arthouse titles too... "Seeking Haven for Mr. Rambo" is a masterpiece! 
The Cairo Film Connection is doing amazing work, connecting Arab filmmakers with audiences and festivals... it's like they're changing the game over here! 
how did an Egyptian movie become so popular abroad btw? is there like a secret sauce to making movies that people love everywhere? 
also, I've been wanting to visit Cairo for ages now 
has anyone been to the city and can you tell me about it? 
I think it's super cool that Egyptian films are killing it in Saudi Arabia right now! 
The growth of the industry is really exciting, especially with mid-budget comedies like Omar El Mohandes' "Siko Siko" doing so well both locally and internationally. It just goes to show that there's a real demand for good storytelling from the Arab world. I also love that we're seeing more arthouse titles being released and getting recognition at major festivals - Kaouther Ben Hania's "Four Daughters" is such an amazing film! 
. But what's really exciting is how they're branching out into different genres like arthouse, which has led to some amazing releases like Khaled Mansour's "Seeking Haven for Mr. Rambo". I've got a friend who went to film festivals in Cairo and said it was an incredible experience - the energy and passion of the Arab filmmakers is infectious!