In the 1940s, the Egyptian cinema was firmly ensconced in the tradition of realism. Many films made in the postwar era were shot on location, using "cinema verite" techniques and employing nonprofessionals. Still, the industry spawned several major star names, one of which was Farrid El Attrache. Afrita Hanen affords English-speaking audiences a rare opportunity to see this Egyptian favorite in action. The film is also a rarity in that it is essentially a fantasy, flying in the face of then-current genre trends in Egypt. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi