You are here:

Alexandria Again and Forever

Name: Alexandria Again and Forever
Director: Youssef Chahine
Released: 1989
Duration: 105 min

Representation Score

6.9/10

Good

1989

Not Rated

Director

Youssef Chahine

Runtime

105 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Youssef Chahine’s work is a sophisticated deconstruction of identity and authority. The film challenges traditional hierarchies, particularly around gendered intimacy and the stability of cultural institutions. It prioritizes the fluidity of human experience over rigid social norms. The narrative structure is intellectually dense, focusing on the volatile nature of creative obsession. By centering the story on the internal struggles of the artist, the film moves away from domestic or patriotic clichés toward a more complex, secular worldview. While the film excels in its cultural and LGBTQ subtext, the heavy focus on male-centric dynamics limits broader gender diversity. However, its cosmopolitan setting provides a rich, non-monolithic view of identity.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Alexandria Again and Forever have LGBTQ+ representation?

Excellent

The film examines the blurred lines between professional mentorship and personal obsession. It challenges the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender by highlighting the intense emotional bond between the director and his muse.

How does Alexandria Again and Forever portray gender?

Good

The narrative centers on male-focused dynamics and psychological interactions. While it avoids depicting women in submissive roles, the main creative influence remains predominantly male.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Alexandria Again and Forever?

Good

Set in a cosmopolitan area, the film showcases a diverse Mediterranean identity. It avoids homogeneity by reflecting a complex mix of Middle Eastern and historical influences.

How does Alexandria Again and Forever represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The story emphasizes subjective artistic truth over strict religious or institutional morality. It offers a sophisticated, secular exploration of identity that goes beyond conventional social expectations.

Does Alexandria Again and Forever include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no significant depiction of physical or neurodivergent disabilities in this work.

Present on Screen

Explores non-traditional relational structures and male intimacy.
Offers a pluralistic Mediterranean identity that avoids Western-centric homogeneity.
Provides a sophisticated, secular approach to identity and moral relativism.

Limited or Absent

Focus on male-centric dynamics limits broader gender representation.
Lacks visible representation of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Set in 1987 against the backdrop of a hunger strike by the Egyptian film industry, Chahine himself steps in to play Yehia, the famed Egyptian director whose life is chronicled in "Alexandria, Why?" and "An Egyptian Story". Obsessed with Amr, the handsome actor he discovered and cast as his alter-ego in parts one and two of The Alexandria Trilogy, Yehia pressures Amr to star in various film projects that change even as Yehia's perception of the young actor begins to change. He first casts Amr as Hamlet, which the actor deems too demanding for his talents, then as the lead in a musical biopic of demigod Alexander the Great, who founded the city of Alexandria in 332 B.C.

How are these scores produced? →