Mini-biography

Born May 10, 1915

Cairo, Egypt

Died June 23, 1996 (aged 81)

Salah Abu Seif was one of the most famous Egyptian film directors. He is considered to be the godfather of the realistic cinema in Egypt. Many of the 41 films he directed are considered Egyptian classics.

Abu Seif is the most Egyptian director to direct films adapted from Arabic novels and short stories (17 films), his film Bidaya wa nihaya (1960) was the first film adapted from a novel written by Nobel Prize winner Naguib Mahfouz.

Awards

Al-Wahsh (1954) nominated for "Grand Prize of the Festival" at Cannes Film Festival

Shabab Emraa (1956) nominated for "Golden Palm" at Cannes Film Festival

Al-Fetewa (1957) nominated for "Golden Berlin Bear" at Berlin Film Festival

Bidaya wa Nihaya (1960) nominated for "Grand Prix" at Moscow Film Festival

Al-Saqqa Mat (1977) won "Best Film of the Year" at Egyptian Film Association

Al-Qadisiya (1981) nominated for "Golden Prize" at Moscow Film Festival

Al-Mowaten Masry (1991) nominated for "Golden St. George" at Moscow Film Festival

Frequent collaborators

Faten Hamama

Omar Sharif

Salah Mansour

Notable Films

Lak Yawm Ya Zalem (Your Day Will Come)

Raya wa Sekina (Raya and Sekina)

Al-Wahsh (The Monster)

Shabab Emraa (A Woman's Youth)

Al-Fetewa (The Tough)

Ana Hurra (I Am Free)

Bayn Al-Samaa Wa Al-Ard (Between Heaven and Earth)

Bidaya wa nihaya (A Beginning and an End)

Al-Kahira 30 (Cairo 30)

Al-Zawga al-Thaniya (The Second Wife)

Al-Saqqa Mat (The Water-Carrier Is Dead)

Complete Filmography

Dayman fi Qalbi (Always in My Heart)

Al-Muntaqim (The Avenger)

Mughamarat Antar wa Abla (The Adventures of Antar and Abla) Sharia al-Bahlawan (Street of the Acrobat)

Al-Sakr (The Falcon)

Al-Hob Bahdala (Love is a Problem)

Lak Yawm Ya Zalem (Your Day Will Come)

Al-Osta Hassan (Foreman Hassan)

Raya wa Sekina (Raya and Sekina)

Al-Wahsh (The Monster)

Shabab Emraa (A Woman's Youth)

Al-Fetewa (The Tough)

Al-Wessada al-Khalia (The Empty Pillow)

La Anam (Sleepless)

Mugrem fi Agaza (Criminal on Holiday)

Al-Tarik al-Masdud (The Blocked Road)

Haza Howa al-Hob (This is the Love)

Ana Hurra (I Am Free)

Bayn al-Samaa wa al-Ard (Between Heaven and Earth)

Lawet al-Hob (Agony of Love)

Al-Banat wa al-Saif (The Girls and the Summer)

Bidaya wa nihaya (A Beginning and an End)

La Tutfi al-shams (The Sun Will Never Set)

La Wakt lil Hob (No Time for Love)

Ressala Min Emraa Maghoula (Letter from an Unknown Woman)

Al-Kahira 30 (Cairo 30)

Al-Zawga al-Thaniya (The Second Wife)

Al-Qadia 68 (The Case 68)

Thalath Nessaa (Three Women)

Shia min al Azab (A Bit of Suffering)

Fagr al-Islam (Dawn of Islam)

Hammam al-Malatily (The Bathhouse of Malatily)

Al-Kadab (The Liar)

Sana Oula Hob (First Year Love)

Sakatat fi Bahr al-Asal]] (She Fell in the Honey Sea)

Al-Saqqa Mat (The Water-Carrier Is Dead)

Al-Mugrem (The Criminal)

Al-Qadisiya (The Qadisiya)

Al-Bidaya (The Beginning)

Al-Mowaten Masry (The Egyptian Citizen)

Al-Sayed Kaaf (Mr. Kaaf)