Featuring rare film footage and interviews with scholars and directors such as Youssef Chahine, WOMEN WHO LOVED CINEMA, PART ONE chronicles the achievements of women filmmakers whose adventurous spirits changed the face of the Egyptian film industry in the 1920s and 30s. At a time when their country was steeped in conservative tradition, these strong-willed women broke cultural taboos and dismissed conventional wisdom to pursue their passion for filmmaking. WOMEN WHO LOVED CINEMA, PART ONE begins by unearthing the works of Aziza Amir, an actor/producer who starred in LEILA (1927), considered the very first Egyptian feature film. Director Marianne Khoury next focuses on the lives and careers of headstrong actress Fatma Roushdi, who was married to director Aziz Eid, and Bahidja Hafez, who produced, directed, acted, edited and composed music for her films.