Helmy Rafla (May 15, 1909 – April 22, 1978; )
was an Egyptian film director, screenwriter, film producer, and make-up artist.
He is considered to be one of the most prominent Egyptian filmmakers.
Biography
Helmy Rafla was born on 15 May 1909 in the Kingdom of Egypt.
Rafla did make-up for actress
Umm Kulthum
Umm Kulthum (; 31 December 1898 – 3 February 1975) was an Egyptians, Egyptian singer and film actress active from the 1920s to the 1970s. She was given the honorific title (). Immensely popular throughout the Middle East and beyond, Umm Kul ...
in many of her films, which allowed him travel to France to learn the art of make-up.
After he returned to Cairo, businessman
Talaat Harb
Talaat Harb Pacha (; 25 November 1867 – 13 August 1941) was a leading Egyptian entrepreneur and founder of Banque Misr, and its group of companies, in May 1920.
His works
The establishment of Banque Misr, the first real Egyptian bank owned ...
asked Rafla to work as an assistant to some foreigners from Europe that were working at
Studio Misr, a Cairo-based film studio established by Harb.
Rafla continued to work in Studio Misr, until 1936 when the Egyptian
Ministry of Education
An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
announced they were dispatching Egyptians to France and England in order to learn more about the art of theatre and cinema, including
cosmetology
Cosmetology (from Greek , ''kosmētikos'', "beautifying"; and , ''-logia'') is the study and application of beauty treatment. Branches of specialty include hairstyling, skin care, cosmetics, manicures/ pedicures, non-permanent hair removal suc ...
. This training was in preparation for the opening of the Egyptian National Theatre Troupe (now the National Theater of Egypt). He studied in France photography, set decoration, and film directing, and upon returning to Egypt he focused on working as a make-up art in the theater for five years. Around 1938, Rafla pivoted to working in make-up for cinema.
He did make-up for more than 40 films.
Rafla began his film career in 1942 as an assistant to various film directors such as , , , and .
He produced, directed, composed and composed many films, most of them in Egypt and some of them in Lebanon, Turkey, and Nigeria.
Filmography
As director
* ' (1947), as director
* ' (1947), as director
* ' (1948)
* ''
The Millionaire'', as director
* ''
The Pretty Mothers-in-law'' (1953), as director
* ''
Idol of the Masses'' (1967), as director
* ''
A Touch of Tenderness'' (1971), as director
As producer
* ' (1948)
* ''
The Road of Hope'' (1957), as producer
* ''
The River of Love'' (1960), as producer
* ''
I Will Not Confess
''I Will Not Confess'' (, ''Lan Aataref'') is a 1961 Egyptian crime film starring Faten Hamama, Ahmed Mazhar and Ahmed Ramzy. The film is directed by the Egyptian film director Kamal El Sheikh.
Plot
Amal (Faten Hamama) is the wife of Ahmed ( A ...
'' (1961), as producer
* ''
The Mamelukes'' (1965), as producer
As screenwriter
* ' (1948) (story, screenplay, and dialogue)
References
External links
*
Helmy Raflaat ElCinema
Egyptian Copts
Egyptian film producers
Egyptian film directors
1909 births
1978 deaths
Make-up artists
Helmy Rafla was a famous Egyptian director, He began his career as a make up man.
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