Egypt’s National Media Authority, led by Ahmed Al-Moslemani, announced changes to state television channels, including the rebranding of Nile Cinema as Mollywood Cinema and the merger of Nile Comedy and Nile Drama into a single channel named Mollywood Drama.
Additionally, the Family and Children channel will merge with Nile Life, with all employee rights preserved.
In his statement, Al-Moslemani highlighted Egypt’s rich artistic heritage, from its 90-year-old film industry to a theater tradition dating back 180 years.
“This legacy makes Egypt a leading regional school of artistic creativity, necessitating a new identity for its creative industry—Mollywood, instead of the ‘Hollywood of the East,’” he explained.
As part of the restructuring, Al-Moslemani emphasized a commitment to quality children’s programming that reflects Egyptian values, addressing concerns over content from global platforms.
Plans include producing high-standard children’s shows for all Egyptian channels and exploring the creation of a dedicated children’s channel.
“America has Hollywood, India has Bollywood, and Nigeria has Nollywood. It’s time for Egypt to proudly embrace Molywood, a title reflecting its unique contributions to global creative industries,” Al-Moslemani concluded.
Egyptian cinema, often referred to as the “Hollywood of the Middle East,” has played a pivotal role in shaping the region’s cultural identity. The country’s film industry dates back to 1927 with the release of Laila, the first full-length Egyptian feature film.
Over the decades, Egypt became the heart of Arab cinema, producing iconic films and remarkable actors and filmmakers like Faten Hamama, Omar Sharif, and Youssef Chahine.
