Arab states were at first reluctant to admit women to the world of film, both in front of and behind the camera. Nevertheless, women soon supported and began working for the new medium. The speed of this development, however, differed considerably from one Arab region to another. Women's access to film making and the film industry has remained difficult as a result of weak cinematic infrastructures, except in Egypt; of moral reservations on the part of women's families; of male-dominated profes…