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Youssef Chahine

Director

Youssef Chahine

Born January 25, 1926 in Alexandria, EgyptDied July 27, 200846 films

Youssef Chahine (born in Alexandria, Egypt, 1926) started studying in a friars' school and then turned to Victoria College until High School Certificate. After one year at the University of Alexandria, he moved to the U.S. and spent two years at the Pasadena Play House, taking courses on film and dramatic arts. After coming back to Egypt, cinematographer Alevise Orfanelli helped him into the film business. His film debut was Baba Amin (1950): one year later, with Son of the Nile (1951) he was first invited to the Cannes Film festival. In 1970, he was awarded a Golden Tanit at the Carthage Festival. With Le moineau (1973), he directed the first Egypt-Algeria co-production. He won a Silver Bear in Berlin for Alexandria... Why? (1979), the first installment in what proved to be an autobiographic trilogy, completed with Hadduta Masriya (1982)(An Egyptian Story (1982)) and Alexandria: Again and Forever (1989).

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In 1992, Jacques Lassalle proposed him to stage a piece of his choice for Comédie Française: Chahine chose to adapt Albert Camus' "Caligula," which proved hugely successful. The same year he started writing The Emigrant (1994), a story inspired by the Biblical character of Joseph, son of Jacob. This had long been a dream project, and he finally got to shoot it in 1994. In 1997, 46 years and 5 invitations later, he was again selected Hors Competition in Cannes with Destiny (1997).

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The best way into Youssef Chahine's work
Cairo Station posterFirst watchCairo Station19587.4Qinawi, a physically challenged peddler who makes his living selling newspapers in the central Cairo train station, is obsessed with Hanuma, an attractive young woman who sells drinks.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
To Each His Own Cinema poster6.5To Each His Own Cinema2007September 11 poster6.4September 112002Lumière & Company poster6.4Lumière & Company1995

Filmography

46 films as director
  1. 2007Chaos, This Is?Director
  2. 2007To Each His Own CinemaDirector
  3. 2004Alexandria... New YorkDirector
  4. 2002September 11Director
  5. 2001Silence... We're RollingDirector
  6. 1999The OtherDirector
  7. 1998Kolha KhatwaDirector
  8. 1997DestinyDirector
  9. 1995Lumière & CompanyDirector
  10. 1994The EmigrantDirector
  11. 1991Cairo as Told by Youssef ChahineDirector
  12. 1989Alexandria Again and ForeverDirector
  13. 1986The Sixth DayDirector
  14. 1985Adieu BonaparteDirector
  15. 1982An Egyptian StoryDirector
  16. 1979Alexandria… Why?Director
  17. 1976Return of the Prodigal SonDirector
  18. 1973EntelakDirector
  19. 1972The SparrowDirector
  20. 1972The People and the NileDirector
  21. 1972Salwa, the Little Girl Who Talks to CowsDirector
  22. 1971The ChoiceDirector
  23. 1971Sands of GoldDirector
  24. 1970The LandDirector
  25. 1968The Nile and the LifeDirector
  26. 1967The Feast of MairunDirector
  27. 1965The Ring SellerDirector
  28. 1964Dawn of a New DayDirector
  29. 1963SaladinDirector
  30. 1961A Man in My LifeDirector
  31. 1960Lovers' CallDirector
  32. 1960In Your HandsDirector
  33. 1959Forever YoursDirector
  34. 1958Jamila, the AlgerianDirector
  35. 1958Cairo StationDirector
  36. 1957My One And Only LoveDirector
  37. 1956Farewell, LoveDirector
  38. 1956Struggle in the HarborDirector
  39. 1954The Devil of the DesertDirector
  40. 1954The Blazing SunDirector
  41. 1953Women Without MenDirector
  42. 1952Lady of The TrainDirector
  43. 1952The Great ClownDirector
  44. 1951Son of the NileDirector
  45. 1950Baba AminDirector
  46. 1944School lifeDirector