In a 2006 Tribeca Film Festival Preview By Aaron Hillis

He describes The Yacoubian Building as “an Egyptian blockbuster”

He writes is his review “If you've ever wondered what an Egyptian blockbuster looks like, meet the tenants of The Yacoubian Building. Besides being the most expensive film to rise from the land of sphinxes, director Marwan Hamed's multi narrative drama breaks cultural taboos in its exploration of Islamic fundamentalism, adultery, political corruption, and homosexuality.”

He adds a background on the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival, which is New York City's largest film showcase which proves precocious for a five-year-old.

Still developing its identity like any five-year-old, the Tribeca Film Festival (April 25 to May 7) has grown significantly since its humble birth. A brainchild of founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal, the fest originally sought to bring people and business back to lower Manhattan following the World Trade Center attacks.