A prominent playwright Sa'ad Eddein Wahba was an intellcetual and dramatist, who remained for forty years of his life, actively involved in the fields of art and culture. Throughout his rich career, he graced us with a number of unique plays. Several of these plays were translated into French and were the subject matter of many Ph.D. thesis at the universities of the Sorbone, of Moscow and of Ain Shams.

Career:
Born in a village in Daqkahliya Governorate on February 4, 1923, he completed his study at the Police Academy where he graduated in 1949. He served as a police officer until he was promoted to the rank of major. In the mean time, he studied philosophy and sociology at the Alexandria University, where he obtained his B.A. in 1955. In 1956, he resigned his commission in the police service to work as a journalist. He published a "Police magazine" in 1957 and Poetry magazine in 1957, of which he was Editor-in-Chief.

From 1959 to 1964 he served as managing editor of "Al-Gomhouria Daily " as well as (Radio) magazine. From 1964 to 1980 he worked with the Ministry of Culture.

* He resigned his government post in 1980.

* Was elected Dean of the Film Syndicate in 1979, but he resigned this post in 1988.

* Chairman of the Arts Syndicate Federation (1979-1988 and 1980-1993).

* President of the Cairo International Film Festival (1995 until his death in 1997).

* Chairman of the General Federation of Arab Artists(1986).

* President of the Cairo Children's Film Festival (1990).

* Member of the People's Assembly (1984-190).

* Chairman of Egypt's Writers Union (1997).

Thanks to Wahba's efforts, the Cairo International Film Festival gained international acclaim.

On the domestic arena, Wahba has had a distinct impact on cultural and dramatic life. Since 1966, he wrote more than twenty plays, prominent of which are: Al Mahrousa, 1980 (nickname for Egypt), Assibinsa (Rear-Wagon) , (Safeway), Yaslam Sallem El Heita Betitkalem (The wall Can Speak), Al Mahrousa 2013, his last work. He wrote more than 200 short-stories, a number of films scripts and several television soap-operas.

Awards and Decorations:
* Order of the Republic of the Third Class, 1955.

* French Order of Honour of Public Officer's Class, 1976.

* Order of Simon de Bolivar, from the Government of Venzuela, 1979.

* Order of Merit of the First Class, 1982.

* State Merit Award, 1987.

* Order of Science and Arts of the First Class, 1988.

* Order of Arts and Letters of a Commander's Class, from the French Government, the highest to be granted to non-French in arts and letters, 1991.

* Order of Cultural Merit, Tunis, 1991.

* Order of Merit of Distinction Class from Syrian President Hafez Al-Asad, 1997.