Today in history: Shady Abdel Salam dies

CAIRO – 8 October 2017: October 8 marks the death anniversary of the iconic Egyptian director and stylist Shady Abdel Salam.

He was born in Alexandria in 1930 and he graduated from Victoria College in 1948.

He specialized in architecture, but hoped to work in cinema.

He started as assistant for Ramsis Wasef in 1957 and Salah Abu Saif.

While working with the Egyptian director Helmy Halim in producing “Hekayet Hob” [Love Story], the décor designer was absent so Abdel Salam designed the décor of the location.

Since then a number of producer signed with Abd El Salam as a décor designer and stylist. He designed the location for many films as Wa Islamah, Antara Ibn Shadad, Rabaa’a El Adaweya and Shafika El Qebteya.

He also worked as décor designer and stylist for many international films as the American film Cleopatra, and the Polish film “the Pharaoh.”

Abdel Salam directed his first long narrative film El Momyaa’ [The Mummy] in 1969. It became one of the influential Arabic films in the history of Arabic cinema.

The International Association of Critics in Vienna selected Abdel Salam as one of the best 100 directors around the world.

After directing El Momya, Abd El Salam directed a number of short films such as Shakawy El Falah El Faseh [The Fluent Farmer Complaints] (1970).

An ancient Egyptian manuscript inspired Abd El Salam to convert the story of this farmer into film.

The film was rewarded in Venice Film Festival.

“Maa’sat El Bait El Kabeer” [The Tragedy of the Big House] was the last projects by Abd El Salam.

He aimed to document the period of Akhenaten and the religious revolution in Akhenaten’s time. The project stopped for years due to financial problems.

Abdel Salam died 1986.