Minister of Culture honors veteran Egyptian actor Ezzat El-Alaily

CAIRO – 26 April 2018: Minister of Culture Ines Abdel-Dayem honored veteran actor Ezzat El-Alaily during a ceremony held by the National Center for Theater on Wednesday, for his significant contribution to Egyptian cinema over the years.

The honoring ceremony was attended by the Head of Cultural Production Affairs sector Khaled Galal, Director of National Center for Theater Mohamed El Kholy, Director of Egypt's National Theatre Youssef Ismail along with many other actors and director Ashraf Fayek.

A documentary film entitled “Ezzat El-Alaily: The Son of the Good Land,” which highlights El-Alaily’s great art life in cinema and theatre, screened during the ceremony.

Additionally, Minister of Culture Abdel-Dayem and Galal were awarded the Shield of Pioneer Award.

Galal said that the Egyptian cinema has a significant position in the world thanks to great Egyptian actors such as El-Alaily and Samiha Ayoub.

In this regard, El-Alaily expressed his thanks and appreciation to the minister of culture and the National Theatre, mentioning that he accepted the offer provided by Ismail to present a show at the National Theatre as it would be a great honor for him to act on its stage.

Born on Sep. 15, 1934, in Bab al-Shaariyah district, Cairo, El-Alaily received his bachelor’s degree from the Higher Institute of Theater Studies in 1960.

Some of his greatest screen contributions include his roles based on novels by renowned Arab authors such as his role in film “Al Ikhtiar” (The Choice), which was based on a novel by Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz. In addition, he acted in one of Egypt’s most important films “Al Ard” (The Land), based on a novel by Egyptian author Abd Al-Rahman Al-Sharqawi along with his role in “Al Saqa Mat” (The Water Carrier is Dead), based on a novel of the same title.