CAIRO, May 22 (Aswat Masriya) – The Egyptian Cinema Union said Sunday it is "proud" of colleagues who took part in “Clash”, a film on post-June 2013 Egypt, in the face of accusations that it harms Egypt's international "image". 

The film, which opened at the 69th annual Cannes Film Festival earlier in May, features the aftermath of the June 30 mass protests and ouster of then-President Mohamed Mursi, who hails from the Muslim Brotherhood, from the vantage point of a riot police vehicle where 30 Egyptians from various political and socioeconomic backgrounds are detained. 

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who was then the country’s defence minister, led Mursi’s military ouster following popular protests against his rule. 

The Cinema Union’s statement came in response to criticism directed at the film by Amany al-Khayyat, a TV host who has repeatedly expressed support for Sisi and opposition to Mursi and the Brotherhood. 

Khayyat accused the film’s director Mohamed Diab of opposing the Egyptian state’s institutions and promoting reconciliation with the Islamist group.

Egypt listed the Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation in December 2013 and insists it is behind the wave of militancy which has targeted security personnel since Mursi’s ouster. The Brotherhood have continuously denied the accusations.

Khayyat hinted that the film could be part of a bigger “conspiracy” to bring down Egypt, saying that Cannes would not celebrate any Egyptian unless this was in line with Western “interests”. 

President Sisi, as well as TV hosts and pundits supportive of his rule, has often spoken in his speeches about a foreign conspiracy against the Egyptian state. 

The Cinema Union attacked Khayyat and a video report she screened during her show about Diab: “This report slanders ... our colleague Mohamed Diab, the director and screenwriter whose film ‘Clash’ was selected to be screened in the Cannes international film festival.” 

The union said in its statement that Khayyat’s criticism of Diab and the report she screened “violate the Egyptian constitution which guaranteed the right to [free] expression, opinion and creativity.”

"ًWe declare our solidarity with and support for our colleagues" whose film represented Egypt in international circles.

The Arabic-language film "Clash" (or "Eshtebak" in Arabic) is a joint production between Egyptian, Emirati, French and German companies.

It stars Egyptian actors Nelly Karim, Hany Adel, Tarek Abdel Aziz, and Ahmed Malek among others.