Yousry was born in Cairo in 1952 to a Coptic family. He studied economics at Cairo University before studying cinema at the Higher Institute for Cinema in Cairo in 1973. Initially, Yousry worked as a cinema critic for a Lebanese paper named al-Safeer and as a director’s assistant in Beirut. He also worked as a director’s assistant with Youssif Chahine on the film projects “Wada’an Bonaparte” and “Hadoutta Masriyah” (1981). Furthermore, Yousry also worked with Folker Shlondorf on “al-Muzayyaf” and with ‘Umar Amiraly on the documentary title “Massaib Qoum”. Next, he participated in writing the screenplay for “Iskandiriyah Kaman wa Kaman” (1989) with Youssif Chahine and worked with him again in directing “al-Qahira Menawara bi Ahlaha” Yousry directed his first feature-length film in 1990, the work titled “Sariqat Sayfiah”, his second feature-length direction work was “Mercedes” (1993). Thereafter he directed “Sibbyan wa Banat” (Boys and Girls) in 1995 and “al-Madeena” (The City) in 1999. One of his best-recognized works “Bab al-Shams” (Gateway of the Sun) came about in 2004 and his last work was in 2008’s “Geneinat al-Asmak” .
Yousry has offered audiences a unique view through his works and has tried to use his films to portray clearly the mindset of Egyptian society and its psychological constituents. His first feature-length work “Sariqat Sayfiah” (Summer Thefts) was perhaps influenced by his own life story as it relates to the life of his wealthy Coptic feudal family and the farmers.
