CAIRO — “18 Days” is not only the duration of the 2011 January 25 Revolution but also the title of one of the most controversial films in the history of Egyptian cinema.

Oddly, the Egyptian film premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival but did not reach the Egyptian masses until July 3, 2017.

The film did not stir controversy because it is political or because it focuses on one of the most sensitive political events in Egyptian history; in fact, many films have been stricken by bans in Egypt because they are political. Instead, it is controversial because its lack of screening in Egypt is so mysterious.

The controversy behind “18 Days” was sparked in May 2011 when news spread about it competing at the Cannes International Film Festival, though few in Egypt had heard of it. Its producers clarified in a statement on May 13, 2011, that the film consists of 10 stories or short films recounting humanitarian and political events during the revolution from both inside and outside Tahrir Square. An elite group of actors, including Ahmed Helmy and Mona Zaki, starred in the film.