Egyptian actress Youssra is returning to the big screen with El Sett Lama, a social comedy that will open in Egyptian cinemas on August 19 as part of the 2026 summer film season.
The film brings Youssra together with Dorra, Yasmin Raeis and a large ensemble cast in a story that explores women’s lives, family relationships and some of the social pressures they face.
Directed by Khaled Abu Ghareeb, El Sett Lama follows Dina El-Kurdi, played by Youssra, a media personality who runs a women’s empowerment centre called “Sawt El-Maraa”, or “Women’s Voice”.
Dina uses social media to launch “Veto”, a campaign that empowers women to speak up about problems affecting their families and relationships.
As the campaign gains attention, it brings together stories of women dealing with different personal and social struggles. The film uses comedy and everyday situations to explore issues including domestic and psychological violence, women’s rights and traditional views surrounding relationships.
Dorra plays Fatma, a woman in her 40s who grew up in an orphanage and dreams of having a family of her own. After marrying a selfish man, she finds herself facing domestic abuse and difficult circumstances. Dorra has previously described the role as one of the more challenging characters she has taken on.
Yasmin Raeis also has a central role alongside Youssra and Dorra, with the three actresses driving much of the film’s women-focused storyline.
The wider cast includes Maged El Masry, Mahmoud El-Bezzawy, Rania Mansour, Donia Samy, Entesar, Amr Abdel Galil and Mohamed Gomaa.
Kero Ayman Fawzy and Mohamed Badawy wrote the screenplay, based on a story by Mustafa Badawy, with Khaled Abu Ghareeb directing.
The recently released trailer gives viewers an idea of the film’s tone, mixing comedy with more serious social issues. It also introduces the “Veto” concept, giving women a way to reject situations and behaviours they find unacceptable. Television personalities, including Lamis El Hadidy and Seham Saleh, also appear in the promotional material.
El Sett Lama has been in development since 2025, with its release initially planned for an earlier date before being moved to the summer of 2026.
The film will now make its Egyptian theatrical debut on August 19, with releases also planned in other Arab markets.
For Youssra, the film marks another return to Egyptian cinema and adds to her long-running presence across both film and television. With its well-known cast, contemporary social themes and comedy-led approach, El Sett Lama is expected to be one of the Egyptian films competing for audiences during the summer box-office season.
