| Arabic Electronic Mail Journal |
| London Phone: (0044) 07 919 021 409 |
| Egyptian Art and Culture |
Edited by S Suwellam, London, UK /
Youssef Shahin
Egyptian director Youssef Shahin was born in Alexandria, Egypt, in 25/1/1926. He under went a
francophone education.. He studied briefly at Egyptian universities and perused his education by joining
the American Pasadena Playhouse, where he received his diploma in 1948.
Shahin directed his first film, Baba Amin, in 1950. His latest film Al Aakhar "The other "was released in
1999.
Over half a century, his directing career has been highly controversial, to the extent that It just mentioning
Shahin's name was enough to anticipate a heated discussion. This controversy is for the most part due to
Shahin's daring representation of Egyptian society, his invocation of history to comment on the past, his
rejection of fanaticism and his open tackling of sexuality and other allegedly taboo issues. Despite these
varying reactions, most film critics and viewers see Shahin as the creative genius, a pioneer and the
founder of a school of his own.
This review deals with one of Shahin's most critically acclaimed films, Adieu Bonaparte, a film that
depicts the relation between the East and the West through its representation of the 1798 French
Invasion of Egypt.
Youssef Chahine (born in Alexandria, Egypt, 1926) started studying in a friars' school, then turned to
English College until the High School Certificate. After one year in the University of Alexandria he
moved to the U.S. and spent two years at the Pasadena Play House taking courses on film and dramatic
arts. After coming back to Egypt, cinematographer Alvise Orfanelli helped him into the film business. His
film debut was Baba Amin (1950): one year later, with Ibn el Nil (1951) he was first invited to the
Cannes Film festival. In 1970 he was awarded a Golden Tanit at the Carthage Festival. With Le
moineau (1973) he directed the first Egypt-Algeria coproduction. He won a Silver Bear in Berlin for
Iskanderija... lih? (1978), the first installment in what will prove to be an autobiographic trilogy,
completed with _adduta misrija (1982)_ and Iskanderija, kaman oue kaman (1990). In 1992 Jacques
Lassalle proposed him to stage a piece of his choice for Comédie Française: Chahine chose to adapt
Albert Camus' "Caligola," which proved hugely successful. The same year he started writing Mohager,
al- (1994), a story inspired by the Biblical character of Joseph, son of Jacob. This had long been a
dream-project and he finally got to shoot it in 1994. In 1997, 46 years and 5 invitations later, he won
Cannes' 50th Anniversary Palme D'Or with Massir, al- (1997).
francophone education.. He studied briefly at Egyptian universities and perused his education by joining
the American Pasadena Playhouse, where he received his diploma in 1948.
Shahin directed his first film, Baba Amin, in 1950. His latest film Al Aakhar "The other "was released in
1999.
Over half a century, his directing career has been highly controversial, to the extent that It just mentioning
Shahin's name was enough to anticipate a heated discussion. This controversy is for the most part due to
Shahin's daring representation of Egyptian society, his invocation of history to comment on the past, his
rejection of fanaticism and his open tackling of sexuality and other allegedly taboo issues. Despite these
varying reactions, most film critics and viewers see Shahin as the creative genius, a pioneer and the
founder of a school of his own.
This review deals with one of Shahin's most critically acclaimed films, Adieu Bonaparte, a film that
depicts the relation between the East and the West through its representation of the 1798 French
Invasion of Egypt.
Youssef Chahine (born in Alexandria, Egypt, 1926) started studying in a friars' school, then turned to
English College until the High School Certificate. After one year in the University of Alexandria he
moved to the U.S. and spent two years at the Pasadena Play House taking courses on film and dramatic
arts. After coming back to Egypt, cinematographer Alvise Orfanelli helped him into the film business. His
film debut was Baba Amin (1950): one year later, with Ibn el Nil (1951) he was first invited to the
Cannes Film festival. In 1970 he was awarded a Golden Tanit at the Carthage Festival. With Le
moineau (1973) he directed the first Egypt-Algeria coproduction. He won a Silver Bear in Berlin for
Iskanderija... lih? (1978), the first installment in what will prove to be an autobiographic trilogy,
completed with _adduta misrija (1982)_ and Iskanderija, kaman oue kaman (1990). In 1992 Jacques
Lassalle proposed him to stage a piece of his choice for Comédie Française: Chahine chose to adapt
Albert Camus' "Caligola," which proved hugely successful. The same year he started writing Mohager,
al- (1994), a story inspired by the Biblical character of Joseph, son of Jacob. This had long been a
dream-project and he finally got to shoot it in 1994. In 1997, 46 years and 5 invitations later, he won
Cannes' 50th Anniversary Palme D'Or with Massir, al- (1997).
