Image of Faten Hamama

Faten Hamama

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.


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Born:
May 27, 1931 In El Mansoura, Egypt
Movie/TV Credits:
90
First Appeared:
In the movie Happy Day 1940-01-02
Latest Project:
Movie Like A Matchstick 2016-08-24
Known For
Poster of بين الأطلال
Poster of Qolob El Nas
Poster of أسرار الناس
Poster of Malak alrahma
Filmography
Movie Like A Matchstick 2016-08-24
Movie Land of Dreams Narges 1993-09-27
Series Conscience of Teacher Hekmat Hekmat Hashim 1991-03-18
Movie Bitter Day, Sweet Day Aisha Muhammad Al-Mandali 1988-02-19
Movie The Night Of Fatima's Arrest Fatma فاطمة 1984-03-26
Movie A Tale Behind Every Door Sherin / Siham 1979-01-01
Movie No Consolation For Women 1979-08-23
Movie Mouths and Rabbits Nemat 1977-10-17
Movie I Want a Solution Doria Azmi 1975-03-31
Movie Habibati Samia Mahmoud 1974-11-18
Movie The Song of Death 1973-01-01
Movie I Want This Man 1972-01-01
Movie Empire M Mona 1972-11-06
Movie Witch 1971-01-01
Movie Sands of Gold Zebyda 1971-01-01
Movie The Thin Thread Mona 1971-09-13
Movie Big Love Hanan 1969-01-01
Movie Something in My Life Aida 1966-06-15
Movie The Confession Nawal 1965-12-06
Movie The Sin Aziza 1965-03-03
Movie Story of a Lifetime Nadia 1965-08-30
Movie No Time for Love Fawzy 1963-03-25
Movie Shadow of Treason Nadia 1963-06-01
Movie The Open Door Laila Sliman 1963-10-07
Movie Cairo Amina 1963-07-17
Movie The Last Night Fawzia/Nadia 1963-12-23
Movie The Miracle Leila 1962-12-24
Movie I Won't Confess Amal (wife) 1961-10-16
Movie The Sun Will Never Set Layla 1961-12-25
Movie The River of Love Nawal 1960-11-12
Movie بين الأطلال منى 1959-02-08
Movie The Nightingale's Prayer أمنة 1959-10-07
Movie Till We Meet Amal 1958-01-09
Movie The Barred Road Fayza (teacher) 1958-04-22
Movie The Virgin Wife منى 1958-09-14
Movie Sayedat el kasr Sawsan 1958-11-17
Movie I'll Never Cry Huda 1957-02-25
Movie Land of Peace Salma 1957-01-02
Movie Sleepless Nadia Lutfy 1957-10-31
Movie Tarek Al Amal 1957-11-28
Series Cinépanorama Self 1956-02-04
Movie Dark Waters Hamedah 1956-01-16
Movie Appointment with Love Nawal 1956-03-05
Movie Ways of the Heart Karima 1956-11-30
Movie God Is on Our Side نادية 1955-01-02
Movie Love and Tears Fatma 1955-10-31
Movie Our Best Days هدى 1955-03-07
Movie The Blazing Sun أمال 1954-03-01
Movie Qolob El Nas Neama 1954-02-01
Movie Traces in the Sand Ragia 1954-04-19
Movie الملاك الظالم 1954-05-31
Movie Appointment with Happiness Ehsan / Amal 1954-12-27
Movie Pity My Tears Amal Amin 1954-10-31
Movie Always With You Tafida 1954-08-02
Movie Aisha Aisha 1953-04-06
Movie Appointment with Life Amal 1953-01-02
Movie Money slaves فتحية 1953-04-19
Movie Love In The Darkness 1953-07-08
Movie The Time of Miracles 1952-07-23
Movie The Great Clown 1952-04-21
Movie Professor Fatima Fatima (Lawyer) 1952-02-21
Movie أموال اليتامى 1952-04-01
Movie El Zuhur El Fatina 1952-08-28
Movie House No. 13 نادية 1952-09-23
Movie كأس العذاب نعمة 1952-10-07
Movie Immortal Song Wafa Riyad Hamdi 1952-12-15
Movie سلوا قلبي 1952-10-07
Movie أسرار الناس 1951-01-30
Movie Farewell My Love 1951-03-23
Movie Son of the Nile زبيده 1951-01-10
Movie أشكى لمين 1951-11-22
Movie أنا بنت ناس 1951-09-02
Movie Your Day Will Come انصاف 1951-11-19
Movie I Am the Past Samia Farid 1950-01-22
Movie Zalamoni El Nas Nemat 1950-08-14
Movie Baba Amin Huda 1950-11-20
Movie Ethics for Sale 1950-12-29
Movie The Lady of the House Elham 1949-04-11
Movie Chair of Confession 1949-01-01
Movie كل بيت له راجل 1949-04-13
Movie Bayoumi Afandi zenat 1949-12-29
Movie Punishment 1948-01-01
Movie Immortality Laila (mother) / Amal (daughter) 1948-01-02
Movie The Two Orphans 1948-01-02
Movie Abu Zeid el Hilali 1947-01-02
Movie Malak alrahma Thurya 1946-11-04
Movie Angels in Hell 1946-01-01
Movie Dunia 1946-01-28
Movie A Bullet in the Heart نجوى 1944-03-27
Movie Happy Day Aneesa 1940-01-02