Egypt Responds to Netflix with a Documentary Called ‘Local Cleopatra’


Even though Egypt didn’t like Netflix’s Queen Cleopatra docuseries, it went ahead with it on Wednesday. In response, Egypt made its own.

According to Variety, the Al Wathaeqya channel, which is part of Egypt’s state-run United Media Services, is working on a high-quality documentary about the Egyptian leader. They say it will be accurate and based on the “utmost levels” of study.

“Starting as usual in all documentary production sector and documentary channel work, there are working sessions currently being held with a number of specialists in history, archaeology, and anthropology; to subject research related to the subject of the film and its image to the highest levels of research and scrutiny,” the channel said.

Cleopatra was born in Alexandria in 69 BC, although it is unknown what ethnicity her mother was, which has led to speculation about the color of her skin.

Earlier, an Egyptian lawyer accused Netflix’s new documentary about Cleopatra of ‘blackwashing’ the queen.

After the video for the documentary came out, Egypt Independent said that the lawyer tried to take serious action against the people who made it and get the streaming service banned in Egypt.

Mahmoud al-Semary says that the video doesn’t focus on Egyptian history but rather on Afrocentrism.

The lawyer called the planned show about the historical figure a “crime” and accused the people in charge of Netflix of “forgery.”