Yehia Chahine
Encyclopedia
Yehia Chahine (July 28, 1917 – 18 March 1994) was an Egyptian
film producer
and an actor
of film
and theater. He is most notable for his role in the film adaptation
s of the Cairo Trilogy
, a trilogy
written by the Nobel Prize
-winning Egypt
ian author
Naguib Mahfouz
.
, Giza
. His father's name was Yehia Chahine too. He received a diploma
in performing arts
and started acting in theater. His first performance was in the play Murtafa`t wa Darag (Heights and Stairs). In 1935, he acted in his first film.
He acted in numerous films, but his most notable role is that of Al-Sayyid Ahmad Abd al-Jawad, a Cairene
patriarch
, in the Cairo Trilogy
films. The three films, Bayn al-Qasrayn (Palace Walk, which is based on a the Palace Walk
novel) in 1964
, Qasr al-Shawq (Palace of Desire) in 1967
and Al-Sukkariya (Sugar Street) in 1973
, were set in Cairo and followed the family of Abd al-Jawwad across three generations, from World War I
to the overthrow of King Farouk in 1952. They were well-received and successful in Egypt and the Arab world.
Additionally, he has acted in many other successful films. He starred in film director
Youssef Chahine
's Ibn al-Nile (Son of the Nile) along with Faten Hamama
in 1951
. He played a leading role in the 1954
film Gaalouni Mujriman (I Have Been Made a Murderer), which was based on a novel
by Naguib Mahfouz. In 1957
, he starred in La Anam
(Sleepless), a film that was chosen as one of the best 150 Egyptian film productions. His last film role was in 1988
, in the film Kul Hatha al-Hub (All this Love).
Chahine received several awards for his film roles. In 1993, he received the Sciences and Arts prize. He died at the age of 76, on 18 March 1994.
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
film producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
and an actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
of film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and theater. He is most notable for his role in the film adaptation
Film adaptation
Film adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. It is a type of derivative work.A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a feature film, but film adaptation includes the use of non-fiction , autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays, and even...
s of the Cairo Trilogy
Cairo Trilogy
The Cairo Trilogy or ) is a trilogy of novels written by the Egyptian novelist and Nobel Prize winner Naguib Mahfouz.The three novels are, in order:* Palace Walk...
, a trilogy
Trilogy
A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, or video games...
written by the Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize in Literature
Since 1901, the Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded annually to an author from any country who has, in the words from the will of Alfred Nobel, produced "in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction"...
-winning Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
Naguib Mahfouz
Naguib Mahfouz
Naguib Mahfouz was an Egyptian writer who won the 1988 Nobel Prize for Literature. He is regarded as one of the first contemporary writers of Arabic literature, along with Tawfiq el-Hakim, to explore themes of existentialism. He published over 50 novels, over 350 short stories, dozens of movie...
.
Life and career
Yehia Chahine was born in ImbabaImbaba
Imbaba is a neighbourhood in northern Cairo, Egypt, located west of the Nile and northwest of and near Gezira Island and downtown Cairo, within the Giza Governorate...
, Giza
Al Jizah Governorate
Giza Governorate is one of the governorates of Egypt. It is in the center of the country, situated on the west bank of the Nile River opposite Cairo. Its capital is the city of Giza...
. His father's name was Yehia Chahine too. He received a diploma
Diploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
in performing arts
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
and started acting in theater. His first performance was in the play Murtafa`t wa Darag (Heights and Stairs). In 1935, he acted in his first film.
He acted in numerous films, but his most notable role is that of Al-Sayyid Ahmad Abd al-Jawad, a Cairene
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
, in the Cairo Trilogy
Cairo Trilogy
The Cairo Trilogy or ) is a trilogy of novels written by the Egyptian novelist and Nobel Prize winner Naguib Mahfouz.The three novels are, in order:* Palace Walk...
films. The three films, Bayn al-Qasrayn (Palace Walk, which is based on a the Palace Walk
Palace Walk
Palace Walk is a novel by Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz, and the first installment of Mahfouz's Cairo Trilogy. Originally published in 1956 with the title Bayn al-qasrayn , the book was translated into English in 1990...
novel) in 1964
1964 in film
The year 1964 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 29 - The film Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is released....
, Qasr al-Shawq (Palace of Desire) in 1967
1967 in film
The year 1967 in film involved some significant events. It is widely considered as one of the most ground-breaking years in film.-Events:* December 26 - The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour airs on British television....
and Al-Sukkariya (Sugar Street) in 1973
1973 in film
The year 1973 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*The Marx Brothers' Zeppo Marx divorces his second wife, Barbara Blakely. Blakely would later marry actor/singer Frank Sinatra....
, were set in Cairo and followed the family of Abd al-Jawwad across three generations, from World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
to the overthrow of King Farouk in 1952. They were well-received and successful in Egypt and the Arab world.
Additionally, he has acted in many other successful films. He starred in film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Youssef Chahine
Youssef Chahine
Youssef Chahine was an Egyptian film director active in the Egyptian film industry since 1950. He was credited with launching the career of actor Omar Sharif...
's Ibn al-Nile (Son of the Nile) along with Faten Hamama
Faten Hamama
Faten Hamama is an Egyptian producer and an acclaimed actress of film, television, and theatre. She was regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from melodramas to historical films and occasional comedies, though her chief successes were romantic dramas...
in 1951
1951 in film
The year 1951 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Sweden - May Britt is scouted by Italian film-makers Carlo Ponti and Mario Soldati-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:...
. He played a leading role in the 1954
1954 in film
The year 1954 in film involved some significant events and memorable ones.-Events:*May 12 - The Marx Brothers' Zeppo Marx divorces wife Marion Benda...
film Gaalouni Mujriman (I Have Been Made a Murderer), which was based on a novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Naguib Mahfouz. In 1957
1957 in film
The year 1957 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 21 - The movie Jailhouse Rock, starring Elvis Presley, opens.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue-Awards:...
, he starred in La Anam
La Anam
La Anam is a 1957 Egyptian melodrama film. The film follows the intricate story of Nadia Lutfi, a daughter of divorced parents who suffers from Electra complex, which drives her to intervene in her father's relationships....
(Sleepless), a film that was chosen as one of the best 150 Egyptian film productions. His last film role was in 1988
1988 in film
-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:* Act of Piracy* Action Jackson, starring Carl Weathers, Craig T. Nelson, Vanity, Sharon Stone* The Adventures of Baron Munchausen* Akira* Alice...
, in the film Kul Hatha al-Hub (All this Love).
Chahine received several awards for his film roles. In 1993, he received the Sciences and Arts prize. He died at the age of 76, on 18 March 1994.