
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.
Acting (98 movies)

I Am the Past
1950

The Lady of the House
1949

Orphans' money
1952

Every house has a man
1949

أشكى لمين
1951

Farewell My Love
1951

Cup of torment
1952

Love and Tears
1955

Isalu kalbi
1952

The Last Night
1963

Sayedat el kasr
1958

Sleepless
1957

The Sun Will Never Set
1961

Immortal Song
1952

Ethics for Sale
1950

Bayoumi Afandi
1949

Like A Matchstick
2016

The Blazing Sun
1954

The Nightingale's Prayer
1959

Cairo
1963

Son of the Nile
1951

Dunia
1946

Baba Amin
1950

Empire M
1972

House No. 13
1952

Aisha
1953

Your Day Will Come
1951

Ana bint Nass
1951

People's secrets
1951

Malak alrahma
1946

Mouths and Rabbits
1977

The Open Door
1963

Khulud
1948

Appointment with Life
1953

Appointment with Love
1956

Qolob El Nas
1954

The River of Love
1960

Angels in Hell
1946

The Barred Road
1958

Professor Fatima
1952

I Want a Solution
1975

No Time for Love
1963

Bitter Day, Sweet Day
1988

The Two Orphans
1948

Happy Day
1940

Al-Malak Al-Zalem
1954

Our Best Days
1955

Abu Zeid el Hilali
1947

Zalamoni El Nas
1950

The Sin
1965

Bein Al-Atlal
1959

A Bullet in the Heart
1944

Sands of Gold
1971

The Thin Thread
1971

Big Love
1969

The Time of Miracles
1952

The Miracle
1962

The Night Of Fatima's Arrest
1984

I Won't Confess
1961

Traces in the Sand
1954

God Is on Our Side
1955

The Great Clown
1952

Land of Dreams
1993

I'll Never Cry
1957

Tarek Al Amal
1957

Chair of Confession
1949

Money slaves
1953

A Tale Behind Every Door
1979

Habibati
1974

Always With You
1954

El Zuhur El Fatina
1952

Dark Waters
1956

Love In The Darkness
1953

No Consolation For Women
1979

The Virgin Wife
1958

Ways of the Heart
1956

Shadow of Treason
1963

Something in My Life
1966

The Confession
1965

Pity My Tears
1954

Appointment with Happiness
1954

Story of a Lifetime
1965

Till We Meet
1958

The Song of Death
1973

I Want This Man
1972

Witch
1971

Land of Peace
1957

Punishment
1948

Towards glory
1948

Confused life
1948

The red mask
1947

The beginning of the month
1945

بعد الوداع
1953

She was an angel
1947

The white angel
1946

الهانم
1947

Light from the sky
1947

The Little Millionaire
1948
| Title | Year | Job |
|---|---|---|
| Appointment with Life | 1953 | Producer |
| Love and Tears | 1955 | Producer |
| A Tale Behind Every Door | 1979 | Producer |