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.
Known For
Cinépanorama
1956
Conscience of Teacher Hekmat
1991
Orphans' money
1952
Among the Ruins
1959
The Blazing Sun
1954
0كفر نعمت
1978
The Barred Road
1958
Isalu kalbi
1952
Struggle in the Harbor
1956
Mouths and Rabbits
1977
Cairo
1963
The River of Love
1960
Filmography
Cinépanorama
as Self · 1956
Conscience of Teacher Hekmat
as Hekmat Hashim · 1991
Orphans' money
as Zahira - زهيرة · 1952
Among the Ruins
as منى · 1959
The Blazing Sun
as Amal أمال · 1954
كفر نعمت
as نعمت · 1978
The Barred Road
as Fayza (teacher) - فايزة راشد · 1958
Isalu kalbi
· 1952
Struggle in the Harbor
as Hamedah · 1956
Mouths and Rabbits
as Nemat · 1977
Cairo
as Amina · 1963
The River of Love
as نوال · 1960
Shadow of Treason
as Nadia · 1963
Our Best Days
as هدى · 1955
Sayedat el kasr
as Sawsan · 1958
Bitter Day, Sweet Day
as Aisha Muhammad Al-Mandali · 1988
Aisha
as Aisha · 1953
The Nightingale's Prayer
as أمنة · 1959
Dunia
as Nadia Fathy Bey · 1946
Son of the Nile
as زبيده · 1951
The Confession
as Nawal · 1965
Chair of Confession
· 1949
Lak Yom Ya Zalem
as انصاف · 1951
Appointment with Life
as Amal · 1953
The Night Of Fatima's Arrest
as Fatma فاطمة · 1984
Baba Amin
as Huda · 1950
The red mask
· 1947
Land of Dreams
as Narges · 1993
The Time of Miracles
as نعمت ابراهيم · 1952
God Is on Our Side
as نادية · 1955
Confused life
· 1948
The Sin
as Aziza · 1965
Towards glory
· 1948
Empire M
as Mona · 1972
The Great Clown
· 1952
Punishment
as ابتسام بنت محسن · 1948
No Time for Love
as Fawzy · 1963
Like A Matchstick
· 2016
Land of Peace
as Salma · 1957
The Thin Thread
as Mona · 1971
The Last Night
as Fawzia/Nadia · 1963
The Open Door
as Laila Sliman · 1963
The Miracle
as Leila · 1962
House No. 13
as نادية · 1952
El Zuhur El Fatina
as Karima · 1952
Story of a Lifetime
as Nadia · 1965
Sleepless
as Nadia Lutfy · 1957
Love and Tears
as Fatma · 1955
Pity My Tears
as Amal Amin - آمال أمين · 1954
I'll Never Cry
as Huda · 1957
Professor Fatima
as Fatima (Lawyer) · 1952
Angels in Hell
· 1946
Khulud
as Laila (mother) / Amal (daughter) · 1948
The Virgin Wife
as منى · 1958
The Sun Will Never Set
as Layla · 1961
Appointment with Love
as Nawal · 1956
The white angel
· 1946
Ways of the Heart
as Karima · 1956
Cup of torment
as نعمة · 1952
A Tale Behind Every Door
as Sherin / Siham · 1979
Happy Day
as أنيسة - طفلة · 1940
Traces in the Sand
as Ragia · 1954
The Song of Death
· 1973
No Consolation For Women
as راوية سليم عبدالحي · 1979
Something in My Life
as عايدة · 1966
Malak alrahma
as Thurya - ثريا · 1946
The Two Orphans
as نعمت · 1948
House of Ants
· 1979
I Want a Solution
as دريّة عزمي · 1975
Sands of Gold
as Zebyda · 1971
Witch
as سعاد · 1971
Al-Malak Al-Zalem
· 1954
Bayoumi Afandi
as zenat · 1949
The Road of Hope
as سنية · 1957
After the Farewell
· 1953
Ana bint Nass
· 1951
Ethics for Sale
· 1950
Immortal Song
as Wafa Riyad Hamdi · 1952
Love In The Darkness
· 1953
Qolob El Nas
as Neama · 1954
I Am the Past
as Samia Farid · 1950
A Bullet in the Heart
as نجوى · 1944
Every house has a man
as فاتن أنيس كامل · 1949
Money slaves
as فتحية · 1953
The Lady of the House
as إلهام حامد عبد العزيز · 1949
She was an angel
· 1947
Zalamoni El Nas
as Nemat · 1950
Appointment with Happiness
as Ehsan / Amal · 1954
Light from the sky
· 1947
Big Love
as Hanan · 1969
I Want This Man
· 1972
The Little Millionaire
· 1948
Abu Zeid el Hilali
· 1947
People's secrets
· 1951
Farewell My Love
· 1951
Always With You
as Tafida · 1954
I Won't Confess
as Amal (wife) · 1961
Till We Meet
as Amal · 1958
أشكى لمين
· 1951
الحلقة المفقودة
· 1948
Habibati
as Samia Mahmoud · 1974
الهانم
· 1947
The beginning of the month
· 1945