Egyptian filmmaker Amr Salama called for stronger safety measures for children on film sets, stressing that young performers must always be protected, especially when working without their parents present.
His remarks came during the panel discussion “Teen Cinema: The Power of Storytelling and Its Relation to Mental Health,” held at the Open-Air Theatre of the Cairo Opera House as part of the 46th Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF).
The session was moderated by Sally Zahni and featured filmmaker Amr Salama, actress Basma Nabil, actor Hamza Diab, and Dr. Sehar Salah.
Speaking during the panel, Salama said: “I hope we can ensure proper protection for children on set. Sometimes they are there without their parents, and that places huge responsibility on me. Working with children has to be handled with complete professionalism because they fully understand what is happening around them.”
He recalled an incident while shooting one of his films: “We had many children on set, and suddenly one boy wandered off to buy food from a street vendor. He wasn’t with his parents, and I panicked—what if he ate something unsafe and got food poisoning? That responsibility would fall on me.”
On her side, actress Basma Nabil spoke candidly about the challenges young women face in the entertainment industry, particularly online harassment and scrutiny of appearance.
“There are challenges when someone young tries to enter a large industry. Teenagers need a lot of support, and we must protect children on set because it can be extremely stressful,” she said.
Addressing the pressures she personally faces, Nabil added: “Being a girl adds extra burdens — constant pressure related to appearance and mental well-being. I experience electronic harassment and feel that we, as female artists, are overly exposed online. I don’t understand why it’s normalized. I’m very careful about the photos I post, and I still receive harassment messages. I’ve started blocking people regularly.”
Young actor Hamza Diab reflected on how his life changed after appearing in the popular series Kamel El Adad, noting that fame helped him make new friends and connect with the public more easily.
“People now recognize my face everywhere I go, and that made a big difference for me. I love interacting with people, and I’ve learned to separate my real personality from the characters I play.”
However, Diab expressed frustration with superficial online criticism: “I’m surprised by people who criticize just for the sake of it. If you have criticism, make it constructive. On social media today, it’s always: ‘Why are you dressed like this?’ or ‘Why do you look like that?’ But when it comes to acting, nothing. I wish people would judge performance, not appearance.”
As part of Cairo Industry Days, CIFF hosted an in-depth panel exploring how cinema represents the emotional and psychological landscape of adolescence. The session examined identity formation, social pressures, belonging and self-discovery, how storytelling can challenge stereotypes about teenagers, the realism of teen portrayals in Arab drama, and how these narratives resonate across cultures.
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