Shadi Abdel Salam (, 15 March 1930 – 8 October 1986) was an Egyptian
film director
A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...
,
screenwriter
A screenwriter (also called scriptwriter, scribe, or scenarist) is a person who practices the craft of writing for visual mass media, known as screenwriting. These can include short films, feature-length films, television programs, television ...
and
costume and set designer.
Early life and education
Born in Alexandria on 15 March 1930, Shadi graduated from Victoria College, Alexandria, 1948, and then moved to England to study theater arts from 1949 to 1950. He then joined faculty of fine arts in Cairo where he graduated as an architect in 1955. He worked as assistant to the artistic architect, Ramsis W. Wassef, 1957, and designed the decorations and costumes of some of the most famous historical Egyptian films among which are; ''
Wa Islamah'', ''
Maww’ed fil Bourg'', ''
Al Nasser Salah Ad-Din'', ''Almaz wa Abdu El Hamouly''. He worked as a historical consultant and supervisor of the decoration, costumes and accessories sections of the Polish film, ''
Pharaoh
Pharaoh (, ; Egyptian language, Egyptian: ''wikt:pr ꜥꜣ, pr ꜥꜣ''; Meroitic language, Meroitic: 𐦲𐦤𐦧, ; Biblical Hebrew: ''Parʿō'') was the title of the monarch of ancient Egypt from the First Dynasty of Egypt, First Dynasty ( ...
'', directed by
Jerzy Kawalerowicz
Jerzy Franciszek Kawalerowicz (19 January 1922 – 27 December 2007) was a Polish film director, screenwriter and politician, having been a member of Polish United Workers' Party from 1954 until its dissolution in 1990 and a deputy in Polish pa ...
.
He also directed the long drama film entitled ''
The Night of Counting the Years
''The Night of Counting the Years'', also released in Egypt as ''The Mummy'' (), is a 1969 Egyptian film and the only feature film directed by Shadi Abdel Salam. It features a special appearance by Nadia Lutfi. It is the 3rd on the list of To ...
'' (Al-Momiaa), 1968–1969, and he received many film awards for this work. Also directed the
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...
ian short drama film entitled ''
The Eloquent Peasant''. Notably, he once worked as the Director of the Ministry of Culture Center for experimental films in 1970. He also wrote the scenario of the long drama film entitled "Ikhnatoun" and finalized the relevant designs from 1974–1985. He has taught at the Cinema Higher Institute of Egypt in the Departments of Decorations, Costumes and Film Direction from 1963–1969. He died on 8 October 1986.
Films
''The Night of Counting the Years''
''
The Night of Counting the Years
''The Night of Counting the Years'', also released in Egypt as ''The Mummy'' (), is a 1969 Egyptian film and the only feature film directed by Shadi Abdel Salam. It features a special appearance by Nadia Lutfi. It is the 3rd on the list of To ...
'' was released in 1969. The story is based upon the true story of the discovery of 40 Royal Mummies in 1881 in Thebes, the capital of the Pharaonic Empire. For over three thousand years, the mummies had lain undisturbed, until some archaeologists from the Antiquities Department in Cairo noticed that several objects bearing royal names from the 21st dynasty were constantly appearing on the antique black market. They surmise that somewhere in Thebes, someone knows the location of the missing tombs. It happens that this secret has been kept from generation to generation by the chief's descendants among the Horabat mountain tribe. These people have always considered the Royal Cache to be a private source of income on which to draw at times of need. The money had then been divided among the members of the tribe. When the archaeologists arrive to find the tombs, the two sons of the dead tribal chief are thrown into moral chaos, not knowing whether to reveal the secret or preserve what the tribesmen consider to be their natural heritage. The younger son, Waniss, becomes the central figure in the story film.
''The Eloquent Peasant''
Produced in 1969,
the short film is based upon the ancient tale
of the same name, and stars Ahmed Marei.
''Afaq''
Produced in 1973. This documentary reflects the cultural life in modern Egypt.
''Goyoush El Shams''
Produced in 1975, this documentary tries to capture the fresh sense of triumph in the eyes of the Egyptian soldiers after the 1973 war with Israel.
''Korssy Tout Ankh Amun El Zahaby''
Produced in 1982, this docudrama is entitled to spread awareness of the ancient Egyptian heritage.
''Al Ahramat Wama Kablaha''
Produced in 1984, this docudrama is entitled to spread awareness of the ancient Egyptian heritage.
''Ann Ramses El Thany''
Produced in 1986, this docudrama is entitled to spread awareness of the ancient Egyptian heritage.
''The Tragedy of the Great House''
''The Tragedy of the Great House'', also known as ''Akhenaten'', was to be a historical epic on the reign of the Pharaoh
Akhenaton
Akhenaten (pronounced ), also spelled Akhenaton or Echnaton ( ''ʾŪḫə-nə-yātəy'', , meaning 'Effective for the Aten'), was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh reigning or 1351–1334 BC, the tenth ruler of the Eighteenth Dynasty. Before the ...
. However, the film was not completed before Abdelsalam's death, owing to his insistence on Egyptian funding; he repeatedly rejected offers from foreign sources (including several generous ones from French backers), insisting that a film on Egyptian history be made exclusively with Egyptian money. Abdelsalam worked on this project for 10 years during which he made 4 rewrites of the script but never decided on a final version of the film and died before completing it, although most of the decorations, scenes, and costumes were finished.
Tribute
On 15 March 2015,
Google
Google LLC (, ) is an American multinational corporation and technology company focusing on online advertising, search engine technology, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, consumer electronics, and artificial ...
celebrated his 85th birthday with a
Google Doodle
Google Doodle is a special, temporary alteration of the logo on Google's homepages intended to commemorate holidays, events, achievements, and historical figures. The first Google Doodle honored the 1998 edition of the long-running annual Bu ...
.
References
External links
*
San Francisco International Film Festival pageDownload ''The Night of Counting the Years'' at archive.orgThe Cinema of North Africa and the Middle East BookTaboo Memories, Diasporic Voices Book
{{DEFAULTSORT:Salam, Shadi Abdel
Egyptian architects
Egyptian nationalists
Egyptian designers
1930 births
1986 deaths
Mass media people from Alexandria
Egyptian film directors
20th-century Egyptian screenwriters