Studio Misr

Studio Misr (Eng: "Egypt Studio"), also known as Studios Misr, is a film studio established in Giza, Egypt, in 1935 by the economist Talaat Harb. Owned and staffed by Egyptians, it is known as "The Studio of Egypt". For three decades, it was the Egyptian equivalent to Hollywood's major studios.

Background
Economist and financier Talaat Harb, realised the cultural and economic impact of cinema, as films began to be made in the 1920s. At a time when feature films were being made in a few very basic film studios established first in Alexandria and then Cairo, he created the Misr Company for Acting and Cinema (MCAC), also known as Egyptian Acting and Cinema Company, which produced documentaries to promoted the Egyptian film industry.

After realising that feature films were the future of the industry, he laid the groundwork for a studio which would  to provide facilities for local filmmakers to shoot and edit feature films in Egypt. He first sent four young men (Ahmed Badrakhan, Maurice Kassab, Mohamed Abdel Azim, and Hassan Mourad) to study in Germany, which then led the world in film production. Harb then recruited experts in various aspects of filmmaking, employed director Fritz Kramp, and purchased the latest equipment. He built a state-of-the-art auditorium, Cinema Studio Misr, to help finance further equipment needed for the new studio. The luxurious new cinema was located in Emad al-Din Street, replacing an old cinema.

Opening and success
The new studio, known as Studio Misr, or Studios Misr according to the signage outside the building, was officially opened on 12 October 1935.

Studio Misr's first film was Wedad (1936), the first film to star the singer Umm Kulthum.

In 1939 Studio Misr made four films, including The Will (1939), out of a total of fifteen Egyptian films. Facing difficulty raising capital in the 1940s, Studio Misr reduced its emphasis on direct film production, increasingly renting out its development, printing and editing facilities to other Arab filmmakers.

World War II
During World War II, many poor-quality but commercially successful films were created by people wanting to earn profit, and the studio was affected by this type of competition.

In 1946, Studio Misr made three films - including Black Market (1946) - out of a total of 52 Egyptian films.

Nationalisation
In 1960, the studio was nationalised by the government of Gamal Abdel Nasser.

Demise
The studio later changed hands several times, but it never regained its former success, and eventually fell into disrepair and later closed.

Significance and impact
Several other studios were founded in Cairo in the wake of the success of Misr, including Al-Ahram, Nassibian (incorrectly spelt Nassabian or Nasabian in some sources), Galal, and Nahhas, although none attained the same stature.