Acting · El Mansoura, Egypt · Born May 27, 1931
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.
MovieLike A Matchstick
2016
MovieLand of Dreams
1993
as Narges
TVConscience of Teacher Hekmat
1991
as Hekmat Hashim
MovieBitter Day, Sweet Day
1988
as Aisha Muhammad Al-Mandali
MovieThe Night Of Fatima's Arrest
1984
as Fatma فاطمة
MovieHouse of Ants
1979
MovieNo Consolation For Women
1979
MovieA Tale Behind Every Door
1979
as Sherin / Siham
TVكفر نعمت
1978
as نعمت
MovieMouths and Rabbits
1977
as Nemat
MovieI Want a Solution
1975
as دريّة عزمي
MovieHabibati
1974
as Samia Mahmoud
MovieThe Song of Death
1973
MovieEmpire M
1972
as Mona
MovieI Want This Man
1972
MovieThe Thin Thread
1971
as Mona
MovieSands of Gold
1971
as Zebyda
MovieWitch
1971
as سعاد
MovieBig Love
1969
as Hanan
MovieSomething in My Life
1966
as عايدة
MovieThe Confession
1965
as Nawal
MovieStory of a Lifetime
1965
as Nadia
MovieThe Sin
1965
as Aziza
MovieThe Last Night
1963
as Fawzia/Nadia
MovieThe Open Door
1963
as Laila Sliman
MovieCairo
1963
as Amina
MovieShadow of Treason
1963
as Nadia
MovieNo Time for Love
1963
as Fawzy
MovieThe Miracle
1962
as Leila
MovieThe Sun Will Never Set
1961
as Layla
MovieI Won't Confess
1961
as Amal (wife)
MovieThe River of Love
1960
as نوال
MovieThe Nightingale's Prayer
1959
as أمنة
MovieAmong the Ruins
1959
as منى
MovieSayedat el kasr
1958
as Sawsan
MovieThe Virgin Wife
1958
as منى
MovieThe Barred Road
1958
as Fayza (teacher) - فايزة راشد
MovieTill We Meet
1958
as Amal
MovieThe Road of Hope
1957
as سنية
MovieSleepless
1957
as Nadia Lutfy
MovieI'll Never Cry
1957
as Huda
MovieLand of Peace
1957
as Salma
MovieWays of the Heart
1956
as Karima
MovieAppointment with Love
1956
as Nawal
TVCinépanorama
1956
as Self
MovieStruggle in the Harbor
1956
as Hamedah
MovieLove and Tears
1955
as Fatma
MovieOur Best Days
1955
as هدى
MovieGod Is on Our Side
1955
as نادية
MovieAppointment with Happiness
1954
as Ehsan / Amal
MoviePity My Tears
1954
as Amal Amin - آمال أمين
MovieAlways With You
1954
as Tafida
MovieAl-Malak Al-Zalem
1954
MovieTraces in the Sand
1954
as Ragia
MovieThe Blazing Sun
1954
as Amal أمال
MovieQolob El Nas
1954
as Neama
MovieAppointment with Life
1953
as Amal
MovieLove In The Darkness
1953
MovieMoney slaves
1953
as فتحية
MovieAisha
1953
as Aisha
Movieبعد الوداع
1953
MovieImmortal Song
1952
as Wafa Riyad Hamdi
MovieHouse No. 13
1952
as نادية
MovieEl Zuhur El Fatina
1952
as Karima
MovieCup of torment
1952
as نعمة
MovieThe Time of Miracles
1952
as نعمت ابراهيم
MovieIsalu kalbi
1952
MovieThe Great Clown
1952
MovieProfessor Fatima
1952
as Fatima (Lawyer)
MovieOrphans' money
1952
as Zahira - زهيرة
MoviePeople's secrets
1951
Movieأشكى لمين
1951
MovieLak Yom Ya Zalem
1951
as انصاف
MovieAna bint Nass
1951
MovieFarewell My Love
1951
MovieSon of the Nile
1951
as زبيده
MovieEthics for Sale
1950
MovieBaba Amin
1950
as Huda
MovieZalamoni El Nas
1950
as Nemat
MovieI Am the Past
1950
as Samia Farid
MovieBayoumi Afandi
1949
as zenat
MovieEvery house has a man
1949
as فاتن أنيس كامل
MovieThe Lady of the House
1949
as إلهام حامد عبد العزيز
MovieChair of Confession
1949
MovieTowards glory
1948
MovieThe Two Orphans
1948
as نعمت
الحلقة المفقودة
1948
MovieKhulud
1948
as Laila (mother) / Amal (daughter)
MovieConfused life
1948
MoviePunishment
1948
as ابتسام بنت محسن
MovieThe Little Millionaire
1948
MovieShe was an angel
1947
MovieAbu Zeid el Hilali
1947
MovieThe red mask
1947
MovieLight from the sky
1947
Movieالهانم
1947
MovieThe white angel
1946
MovieMalak alrahma
1946
as Thurya - ثريا
MovieDunia
1946
as Nadia Fathy Bey
MovieAngels in Hell
1946
MovieThe beginning of the month
1945
MovieA Bullet in the Heart
1944
as نجوى
MovieHappy Day
1940
as أنيسة - طفلة
