Faten Hamama
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- May 27, 1931
- Died
- January 17, 2015 (aged 83)
- Birthplace
- El Mansoura, Egypt
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
Photos
Filmography
Like A Matchstick
Movie
Land of Dreams
Movie · as Narges
Conscience of Teacher Hekmat
TV · as Hekmat Hashim · 15 eps
Bitter Day, Sweet Day
Movie · as Aisha Muhammad Al-Mandali
The Night Of Fatima's Arrest
Movie · as Fatma فاطمة
A Tale Behind Every Door
Movie · as Sherin / Siham
No Consolation For Women
Movie · as راوية سليم عبدالحي
House of Ants
Movie
كفر نعمت
TV · as نعمت · 1 ep
Mouths and Rabbits
Movie · as Nemat
I Want a Solution
Movie · as دريّة عزمي
Habibati
Movie · as Samia Mahmoud
The Song of Death
Movie
Empire M
Movie · as Mona
I Want This Man
Movie
Sands of Gold
Movie · as Zebyda
The Thin Thread
Movie · as Mona
Witch
Movie · as سعاد
Big Love
Movie · as Hanan
Something in My Life
Movie · as عايدة
The Sin
Movie · as Aziza
The Confession
Movie · as Nawal
Story of a Lifetime
Movie · as Nadia
The Last Night
Movie · as Fawzia/Nadia
Cairo
Movie · as Amina
The Open Door
Movie · as Laila Sliman
No Time for Love
Movie · as Fawzy
Shadow of Treason
Movie · as Nadia
The Miracle
Movie · as Leila
The Sun Will Never Set
Movie · as Layla
I Won't Confess
Movie · as Amal (wife)
The River of Love
Movie · as نوال
The Nightingale's Prayer
Movie · as أمنة
Among the Ruins
Movie · as منى
Sayedat el kasr
Movie · as Sawsan
The Barred Road
Movie · as Fayza (teacher) - فايزة راشد
The Virgin Wife
Movie · as منى
Till We Meet
Movie · as Amal
Sleepless
Movie · as Nadia Lutfy
I'll Never Cry
Movie · as Huda
The Road of Hope
Movie · as سنية
Land of Peace
Movie · as Salma
Appointment with Love
Movie · as Nawal
Struggle in the Harbor
Movie · as Hamedah
Ways of the Heart
Movie · as Karima
Cinépanorama
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Love and Tears
Movie · as Fatma
Our Best Days
Movie · as هدى
God Is on Our Side
Movie · as نادية
The Blazing Sun
Movie · as Amal أمال
Qolob El Nas
Movie · as Neama
Al-Malak Al-Zalem
Movie
Traces in the Sand
Movie · as Ragia
Always With You
Movie · as Tafida
Pity My Tears
Movie · as Amal Amin - آمال أمين
Appointment with Happiness
Movie · as Ehsan / Amal
Aisha
Movie · as Aisha
Appointment with Life
Movie · as Amal
Money slaves
Movie · as فتحية
Love In The Darkness
Movie
After the Farewell
Movie
Orphans' money
Movie · as Zahira - زهيرة
Cup of torment
Movie · as نعمة
Isalu kalbi
Movie
Immortal Song
Movie · as Wafa Riyad Hamdi
House No. 13
Movie · as نادية
Professor Fatima
Movie · as Fatima (Lawyer)
The Time of Miracles
Movie · as نعمت ابراهيم
The Great Clown
Movie
El Zuhur El Fatina
Movie · as Karima
أشكى لمين
Movie
Farewell My Love
Movie · as فكرية
Son of the Nile
Movie · as زبيده
Lak Yom Ya Zalem
Movie · as انصاف
Ana bint Nass
Movie
People's secrets
Movie
I Am the Past
Movie · as Samia Farid
Ethics for Sale
Movie
Baba Amin
Movie · as Huda
Zalamoni El Nas
Movie · as Nemat
The Lady of the House
Movie · as إلهام حامد عبد العزيز
Every house has a man
Movie · as فاتن أنيس كامل
Bayoumi Afandi
Movie · as zenat
Chair of Confession
Movie
Khulud
Movie · as Laila (mother) / Amal (daughter)
The Two Orphans
Movie · as نعمت
Punishment
Movie · as ابتسام بنت محسن
Towards glory
Movie
Confused life
Movie · as عليه - إبنة خالة ناديه
الحلقة المفقودة
Movie
The Little Millionaire
Movie
Abu Zeid el Hilali
Movie
The red mask
Movie
She was an angel
Movie
الهانم
Movie
Light from the sky
Movie
Dunia
Movie · as Nadia Fathy Bey
Malak alrahma
Movie · as Thurya - ثريا
Angels in Hell
Movie
The white angel
Movie
The beginning of the month
Movie
A Bullet in the Heart
Movie · as نجوى
Happy Day
Movie · as أنيسة - طفلة