Director Tarek El-Erian emphasized that his film “The Ladder and the Snake 2” focuses on the intricacies of the relationship between men and women, rather than presenting explicit or daring scenes.
During his appearance on the program ET Bil Arabi, El-Erian denounced the controversy surrounding the film, explaining that its true boldness lies in its concept, not in the scenes themselves.
He pointed out that the film does not contain any explicit scenes, but rather belongs to the genre of romantic social drama that sheds light on human relationships and various emotions, asserting, “The film doesn’t contain anything inappropriate.”
In response to the criticism that has plagued the film since its theatrical release and subsequent availability on digital platforms, El-Erian explained that the reason is often due to the promotional teaser or watching excerpts. He stressed that the final judgment should be made after watching the entire film, not based on short promotional clips.
Regarding the scene where Asmaa Galal wears a dance costume, El-Erian said, “There’s nothing wrong with the dance scene. A woman and her husband are sitting at home, and she’s dancing for him. How many women have danced and worn dance costumes in films for a man or their husband? We were simply portraying a love story between two protagonists.”
The film “El-Selm Wel-Tho’ban… La’b Eyal” (The Ladder and the Snake… Child’s Play) topped the viewership ratings after its release on digital platforms, coinciding with the Eid al-Fitr holiday. It ranked first among the top 10 most-watched films in Egypt on these platforms.
The film stars Amr Youssef, Asmaa Galal, Maged El-Masry, Hatem Salah, Fadwa Abed, Heba Abdel Aziz, and Dhafer L’Abidine. It was written by Ahmed Hosny and directed by Tarek El-Erian.
