Cairo, July 27, 2008

On behalf of the American people I would like to express our deepest condolences for the passing of Mr. Youssef Chahine. His works reflected the profound contribution of Egypt to our civilization, including one of the world's first film industries. Mr. Chahine inspired American audiences with films like Bab Al Hadid and Alexandria…Why?, and drew the admiration and respect of our film community. Mr. Chahine's films also helped Americans and Egyptians appreciate each others' common humanity. He will be deeply missed among international film audiences and his many admirers worldwide.