This study examines postcolonial discourse in Egyptian cinema through a comparative analysis of Mismar Goha (1952) and Rod Qalbi (1957), two landmark films reflecting Egypt’s sociopolitical transformations and struggles for independence. Produced amid the mid-twentieth-century upheavals, both films articulate evolving notions of resistance, nationalism, and modern identity within a postcolonial framework.

The research analyzes Mismar Goha, directed by Ibrahim Emarah, focusing on key scenes and symbols—the nail, the Imam’s cloak, imprisonment, and popular revolt—to uncover how colonial resistance and identity formation are expressed through allegory and folk tradition. A comparative reading of Ezz El-Ddin Zulfikkar’s Rod Qalbi reveals contrasting narrative techniques that capture Egypt’s transition from colonial subjugation to revolutionary nationalism.

Grounded in postcolonial theory—drawing on Edward Said, Homi Bhabha, and Frantz Fanon—the study investigates how colonial legacies and the pursuit of national identity are encoded in cinematic language, narrative structure, and character portrayal. Mismar Goha, released during the year of the 1952 Free Officers’ Revolution, subtly critiques colonial authority through allegorical resistance, while Rod Qalbi explicitly embodies Nasserist ideals of social justice, anti-aristocracy, and national liberation.

Through close analysis of mise-en-scène (staging), cinematography, and symbolic motifs, the research traces a cinematic evolution from indirect allegory and cultural memory in Mismar Goha to overt ideological expression in Rod Qalbi. This transformation reflects a broader shift in Egyptian cinema—from a vehicle of cultural resistance to an instrument of revolutionary propaganda. Ultimately, the study argues that 1950s Egyptian cinema not only mirrored postcolonial anxieties but also actively participated in shaping national consciousness, identity, and political discourse.

Author:

Muhammad Alsayed Alsawey