Mona Zaki's "Cairo Mecca" Gets 2023 Release Window

Egyptian actress Mona Zaki's film "Cairo Mecca" will be released later in 2023.

It also stars Shereen Reda, Mohamed Mamdouh, Khaled El-Sawy, Mohamed Farag, and others.

The film is scripted by Mohamed Ragaa and directed by Hani Khalifa.

"Cairo Mecca" was penned many years ago, but the lack of enthusiasm of a production company to present it properly led to its suspension for many years.

The project is the first Egyptian film to be shot in Saudi Arabia.

It follows the protagonist's plan to travel to Mecca to perform the pilgrimage with her father, but a week before traveling, a surprise changes the course of her life.

She faces a dilemma of whether to complete the journey with good intentions or take a different approach.

On the other hand, Zaki is collaborating with her husband, actor Ahmed Helmy on a new film.

The project is a light romantic comedy penned by Helmy. It marks the first collaboration between the beloved couple after an absence of 20 years. They last collaborated in the 2003 film "Sahar El Layaly".

Zaki, born on November 18, 1976, started by acting career at the age of 16, when Egyptian actor-director Mohamed Sobhi was searching for new faces.

She applied in the hopes of getting a chance to meet Sobhi and was cast by him for her first acting role in his play “Bel Araby El Faseeh”.

Zaki later co-starred in several hit TV series such as “El A’elah”, “Khalti Safiya wel Deir”, “Nisf Rabi’ El Akhar”, “Ahalina”, “Ded El Tayyar”, and “El Daw’ El Sharid”.

She also co-starred in several plays, among which were “Le’b Eyal”, “Ya Messafer Wahdak”, “Afrouto”, and “Keda OK”.

In 2001, Zaki received an award from Gihan El Sadat, the wife of former president Anwar El Sadat, for portraying her in the masterpiece film “Ayam El Sadat” (Days of El Sadat).

She was awarded the Faten Hamama Prize for Excellency at the opening ceremony of the 42nd Cairo International Film Festival in 2020.