Living in Arabic
The debate on the need to reform Islam, the Arabs and their language -- by adopting demotic rather than classical Arabic -- continues. Before his death last September Edward Said argued such a debate reflects an extraordinary lack of the quotidian experience of living in Arabic

Moments of nostalgia
It may be rose-tinted, but it convinced Amal Choucri Catta

In progress: Switching media
Gazbia Sirry, whose latest exhibition opens at the Zamalek Art Gallery on 15 February, is one of Egypt's best known modern painters...
By Mohamed Ali El-Guindy

Plain Talk
The issues that beset each era may be different on the surface...
By Mursi Saad El-Din

Photo Caption
Amr Khadr shows recent photographs under the title Ici, c'est ailleurs at the Mashrabia Gallery until 11 March...

Reviewing three representative examples, Al-Ahram Weekly takes stock of recent holiday releases

Tramp in the tram

Women in the house

Triumph of virtue