
Faten Hamama
Biography
Faten Hamama (May 27, 1931 - January 17, 2015) was an Egyptian actress and producer. Dubbed "The Lady of the Arabic Screen", she was born in El Mansoura, Egypt. Her legendary journey started as a secret statement between a six-year-old girl and her father after they watched a film in their neighborhood theater, at which leading actress and producer Asya Dagher was present. Faten told her father that she felt the audience was applauding her as the leading actress, and her father hugged her with a vision of helping his daughter become a movie star. She won a contest for the most beautiful child in Egypt, and her dad sent her picture to director Muhammad Karim (a pioneer of Egyptian cinema). Karim was looking for a child for his new film with Egyptian musician Mohamed Abdel Wahab. Faten auditioned for and got a role in this movie, Yom said (1940) ("A Happy Day"). She impressed the filmmakers so much during shooting that she was actually given more lines and scenes in the picture than were scripted initially for her. Karim put her under contract, and four years later he gave her a role in a film with Mohamed Abdel Wahab again, Russassa fil Kalb (1944) ("A Bullet in the Heart"). With her third movie with Karim, Dunia (1946), Faten showed filmmakers and audiences alike that she was an actress ready for bigger roles. Her father, along with her family, moved to Cairo to help her in her career. She also began studying her craft at the High Institute of Acting in 1946. Faten left Egypt from 1966-1971 because she resisted the political pressure that was applied to her. She divided her time between Lebanon and London, England. During this period Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser asked some prominent critics and writers to try to persuade her to return to Egypt, saying that "Faten Hamama is a national treasure". Her return to Egypt in 1971 breathed life back into Egyptian cinema. She insisted that her films reflect the values of society through family relationships. Her first film upon return was Witch (a short film) with Salah Zulfikar. Her role in Emberatoriet Meem (1972) ("Empire M") as a widow with six children and the struggles she endured to raise them made the film a success both critically and financially, and she earned a special award from an organization in the Soviet Union when the film was shown at the Moscow International Film Festival. Her film Orid Hallan (1975) ("I Need a Solution") which was produced by Salah Zulfikar was not only a big hit but resulted in changes to Egyptian marriage and divorce laws. Faten Hamama is the fourth Pyramid in Egyptian cinema, a legend in her platinum anniversary, the diamond that remained shining and kept glowing over the decades on the silver screen.
Filmografi
Orphans' money1952 · Zahira - زهيرة
The Barred Road1958 · Fayza (teacher) - فايزة راشد
No Time for Love1963 · Fawzy
Struggle in the Harbor1956 · Hamedah
Aisha1953 · Aisha
The Blazing Sun1954 · Amal أمال
Our Best Days1955 · هدى
Appointment with Life1953 · Amal
Towards glory1948 ·
Land of Dreams1993 · Narges
Cup of torment1952 · نعمة
Cairo1963 · Amina
The Nightingale's Prayer1959 · أمنة
Shadow of Treason1963 · Nadia
Bitter Day, Sweet Day1988 · Aisha Muhammad Al-Mandali
I Won't Confess1961 · Amal (wife)
Baba Amin1950 · Huda
Appointment with Love1956 · Nawal
The River of Love1960 · نوال
The Sin1965 · Aziza
House No. 131952 · نادية
El Zuhur El Fatina1952 · Karima
Professor Fatima1952 · Fatima (Lawyer)
Malak alrahma1946 · Thurya - ثريا
Tawfiq Al-Deqen
Reyaad ElQasabgy
Ferdous Mohamed
Motawie Eweiss
Omar Sharif
Aziza Helmy
Khayria Ahmed
Zaki Rostom
Aleya Fawzy
Abdel Ghani El Nagdi
Abdel Halim ElQala'awy
Wedad Hamdy