The Yacoubian Building (عمارة يعقوبيان)

In 1937. Mr Yacoubian, head of the Cairo Armenian community

built an apartment building named after him

A European-style building designed by an Italian architect

He was so proud of his work

he had his name carved above the entrance in Roman letters

Among the building's tenants

were Ministers, Pashas, forejgners and even Jews

Two apartments belonged fo the eminent Nosseir family

The roof was vast

It had a porter's apartment, a laundry

and a storeroom for each apartment

Everything was beautiful

The country was beautiful

And the building was also beautiful

But revolution marked the end of the Pasha era

After the 1956 war, Jews and foreigners left the country

Army officers took over the vacated apartments

and their wives were even known fo raise chickens on the roof

The storerooms became servants' quarters

The building's occupants had changed

A new wind was blowing

The streets were changing, new shops were opening

The people changed too

The officers' arrival was the start of the building's decline

Their departure only served fo hasten it

Having become rich, they moved out

selling their apartments for tidy sums

The occupants changed again

The roof was a real rabbit warren with one family per room

The building had changed, the whole country had changed

YACOUBIAN BUILDING

I told you a thousand times this is a respectable place!

Behave yourself if you want to stay!

Alot of people get drunk here yet they behave themselves!

You want to go home on a stretcher? I do it to one customer every day!

Get drunk, but don't cross the line!

Go sit elsewhere. The Pasha's waiting for a friend

Another beer or fresh appetizers, Pasha?

No, beer fills me up and I keep having to go to the men's room

Have a whiskey then

Whiskey! No way!

If I drink your whiskey, I'l go blind, permanently blind

You're so funny, Pasha

Why not go to the top hotels' bars? You can afford it

Listen...

Liquor is not what I'm interested in and you know it

I'm still thinking it over

You don't have to. We'll just have a few drinks

That's all?

That's all

In that case, I'll go to your office

When?

Tomorrow or after tomorrow, when I'm in the mood

Tomorrow

- Go get the bill - With pleasure

Send 6 more cases of beer. It's in demand these days

Don't be late

Table 9's bill

Are you working table 9?

If we're serious with customers, you ask us to be nice

He's respectable and generous. Why shouldn't I talk to him?

I don't like anything going on behind my back

In here, sure. Outside I'm free to do what I want

I'l get the money and be back

Go ahead

What's up, Taha? Are you stupid like your father?

Why clean stairs now?

I have to do it at night. There are fewer people around

OK stop chattering! Dry up so I can get into my apartment

Yes, sir

Move aside! Move!

Did you graduate high school?

- Yes - Will you go to uni?

My grades are good for anywhere but I applied to the Police Academy

You want to be a police officer?

Don't forget to replace the door-mat after you finish

Goodnight, Bosaina

You too, Am Hamid

- Don't forget to turn the TV off - Don't worry

Come on, man, I'masleep

What a nag! You can always wake up, woman!

Will you be at it all night?

Be gentle, man

I am gentle!

Stop! The kid's here!

Haven't you stayed up enough?

Or are you waiting for your sweetheart?

- Don't you have to go to work early? - I quit

- When? - Today

Why?

I'm watching the movie

Movie!

Must I be miserable all day long?

Get up and tell me what happened! Come on, move it, girll

Your father left me with a burden I can't carry by myself!

- Why did you quit your job? - My boss has wandering hands

The thief! He can't rob himself!

No, he touched me

- He hit you? -No

Then what, girl?

He was groping, got it?

Tomorrow I'll look for a new job

Afriend is taking me to some Syrian guy's clothes store

He's a decent man and married to a gorgeous woman

I told you Am Salama's daughter Fifi would find me a job

It's no use! You don't hold on to any job!

- Want me to lose my honor? - I'm not saying that

But think of your siblings and our terrible situation

A clever girl knows how to protect her honor without upsetting anyone

and losing her job!

The jerk I was working for opened his zipper!

As long as it was his and not yours it's OK!

May God forgive me!

I'm purifying myself from all impurities and sins!

Good morning, Dawlat

Why are you all dressed up?

I'm always elegant, Dawlat

I just want to know where you go everyday

Thank God you're my sister and not my wife

I go to the office, where else? Anyway, what are you getting at?

I know you walk around the streets, ogling women...

Come on, Dawlat!

I'myour sister, Zaki.

I know what you do everyday

What do you want?

The jewelers fixing my diamond ring. Go and get it from him

It'll be the first thing I do today. And I'll pay for it too

How are you?

Fine, thanks, Pasha.

Pasha! Pashal

- What is it, Hassouna? - Things are very bad

What things?

You know well, sir

I've been married for only a month

and yet I'm not pleased

At your age? What's wrong? You have problems?

Who hasn't, sir?

I'mtalking about your problems

I owe people money and my employer fired me for some unknown reason,

my mother-in-law is living with us,

and my sister's got divorced and she has kids!

All these problems and you expect things to be fine with your wife?

Do you have one of those pills? I heard...

Heard what? Pills at your age is certain suicide

All the pills in the world won't help you

Your mind has to be clear

Clear your mind and you'll be a real stud!

Get rid of your worries and you'll be just fine

- Move the car from here! - Hatem Bey's coming right now

- Good morning, Nabeeh - Good morning, Mr Hatem

Good morning, Haj

- How's the market? - End of the month. Not so good

- But in general? - Great, we're the top-sellers

- That's good - Just honor us a bit, Haj

- I'll have tea with you another time - Goodbye, Haj

No, I can't come out, Fawzi

Why, Haj? Just bless us

- How's work going? - Just peachy!

Great. Say hello to everyone

- I will, Haj! Goodbye! - Drive onl

- I hope he's a good man - In what way?

- I hope he doesn't flirt - Impossible

All men flit, dear. They have one-track minds

I've left so many jobs over that

Fooll Chill out a bit and you might find one.

- Meaning? - A girl can accept certain things

without crossing the line. That's what clever girls do

I thought life would smile on me

Why? Because you're pretty? There are prettier girls

You have a commerce diploma? So do beggars on the streets

Your article's made a big fuss, sir

It should be translated and published in the Arabic newspapers

Forget yesterday's issue. What about the next one?

Our leading story should be

on the terrorists who tried to kill the writer Naguib Mahfouz

Exactly! I want all the details of their arrest,

their photos, and most importantly, who they are

The whole damn thing!

You'll get it!

Who'll write about the death of Rita Gallad,

the founder of the Journal d' Egypte?

As a French newspaper we should honor her

I'l do it

And the Ministry of the Interior's big efforts in Upper Egypt?

We want to rebuild trust in tourism

and inspire confidence

Write about tourism in Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada

They're towns with activities and they're safe

I have a very good subject a new journalist's written about

It's a great article about homosexuality in Egypt

What's this nonsense? Homosexuality!

It doesn't concern our readers who are mostly foreigners

Let's take the investigation page

The monuments of Tal El-Amarna...

It's new, it's photogenic...

That's an important subject

What about sports, boss?

Do we have sports? Just write about anything

Football...

The French ambassador's office