
Faten Hamama
Born May 27, 1931 · El Mansoura, Egypt
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.
Notable Appearances
Movies
TV Shows
More Movies

Struggle in the Harbor

Our Best Days

The River of Love

Shadow of Treason

Bitter Day, Sweet Day

Cairo

The Nightingale's Prayer

Land of Dreams

Empire M

Sleepless

The Sin

Ways of the Heart

Aisha

Son of the Nile

Sayedat el kasr

People's secrets

No Time for Love

The Open Door

Baba Amin

Appointment with Life

The Road of Hope

Dunia

Among the Ruins

House No. 13

Pity My Tears

Appointment with Love

Land of Peace

Khulud

The Sun Will Never Set

No Consolation For Women

I Want a Solution

I'll Never Cry

Lak Yom Ya Zalem

Mouths and Rabbits

A Bullet in the Heart

The Time of Miracles

The Thin Thread

Chair of Confession

Angels in Hell

House of Ants

The Confession

Towards glory

Story of a Lifetime

Al-Malak Al-Zalem

Cup of torment

Professor Fatima

Happy Day

After the Farewell

Always With You

El Zuhur El Fatina

The Last Night

Witch

Malak alrahma

The Virgin Wife

Punishment

Love and Tears

Like A Matchstick

Appointment with Happiness

Traces in the Sand

Big Love

Money slaves

I Won't Confess

A Tale Behind Every Door

The Miracle

The Two Orphans

The Great Clown

She was an angel

Every house has a man

The Song of Death

The Little Millionaire

Qolob El Nas

Immortal Song

The Night Of Fatima's Arrest

Light from the sky

God Is on Our Side

Abu Zeid el Hilali

The Lady of the House

Isalu kalbi

Sands of Gold

Habibati

I Want This Man

Ana bint Nass

The red mask

Confused life

Something in My Life

Bayoumi Afandi

Zalamoni El Nas

The beginning of the month

I Am the Past

The white angel

Till We Meet

Love In The Darkness

Ethics for Sale

الهانم

أشكى لمين






