Khaberni - Director Khaled Youssef commented on the criticisms targeting some of his artistic works, emphasizing that the role of art is to provoke controversy, and that this is required in creative work, as it is evidence of the real impact of art.
Khaled Youssef said in press statements on the sidelines of the first day of the El Gouna Festival: "Those who criticize, that is very natural, because the primary mission of art is to provoke controversy. When I speak my word and it doesn't echo, it's as if I never said it at all. But when I present a film that sparks intense debate and divides people between supporters and opponents, that's exactly the goal of arts and culture... It makes people think and stimulates them to discuss the issues we live with."
He added: "Thank God, a large segment of the audience follows my films, and there is great demand for them. Success varies from one work to another, but all my films have achieved great success, and this means I am playing on the same string that moves people and touches their feelings and concerns."
Youssef confirmed that the El Gouna Film Festival's tribute to the centennial of the late director Youssef Chahine was a successful and deserved step, describing Chahine as the most important cinematic figure in our history by far.
About being likened to Youssef Chahine and the statement that he is his successor in directing, Khaled Youssef said: "Youssef Chahine was not just a director, but a maker of generations. He began his artistic journey in the 1950s, which means he represents half of the history of Egyptian cinema."
He added: "His impact did not stop at the films he offered, but extended to include those who learned under him, from Hussein Kamal and Yousry Nasrallah, to my generation and the one after us. Chahine provided opportunities for photographers, set designers, and the youth in general. He was the first to add a real dimension to the industry, and his impact continues to this day."
Khaled Youssef emphasized that no one can be the successor to Youssef Chahine, saying: "He did not make copies of himself, but taught us how to express ourselves. When I made my first films, they were completely different from Youssef Chahine's cinema. We are all sons of his school, yes, but no one is a direct continuation of his cinema."
