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'Diamond Dust,' a poisonous pleasure for Egyptian moviegoers

The book "Diamond Dust" and its adaptation for the stage didn't ruffle any feathers when they appeared in Egypt, but the movie version has proved to be controversial for taking on a political subject no one previously dared touch.
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CAIRO — Tearing down pillars of modern Egyptian history can be lethal, as author and screenwriter Ahmed Mourad and director Marwan Hamed recently discovered with “Diamond Dust,” a political thriller dealing with the Free Officers Movement and the coup that dethroned King Farouk on July 23, 1952.

Diamond dust, one of the most dangerous poisons known, can kill slowly and gradually and without leaving any trace of a crime, if so used. This particular characteristic might be what prompted Mourad to choose it as the title for his 2010 book, on which the film is based.

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