Khaled El Nabawy at the Cairo Film Symposium: The actor holds the trust of the Arab image before the world
In an exceptional cinematic evening hosted by the open-air theater of the Cairo Opera House, as part of the Cairo Film Industry Days activities in the 46th session of the Cairo International Film Festival, the artist Khaled El Nabawy was a guest at a symposium entitled: “From a young star to a cinematic icon,” moderated by writer and art critic Zein Khairy, in a special celebration of his awarding of the Faten Hamama Award for Excellence in honor of a career that continues to establish its presence in the collective consciousness. For Egyptian and Arab cinema.
Al-Nabawy began his speech by stressing that the actor, when he works with international makers, carries the responsibility of preserving the Arab identity, saying: Some of them may not realize the details rooted in our culture and religion, and the actor must explain and preserve them.
He gave an example from behind the scenes of the series “Mamlakat.” “Hell”, when he insisted that Tuman Bey perform prayers in one of the scenes despite the absence of water, explaining to the director the possibility of tayammum, which impressed the foreign team.
Al-Nabawi commented on his experience in his play about President Anwar Sadat in the United States, explaining that he considered it a battle of awareness and mental image: I felt a responsibility to present our true image: We do not seek war, we only want our rights. They are good, yes.. but we are not weak.. stressing that he rejected any sentence that affected Sadat, saying: I used to threaten to withdraw and they would delete it immediately.
He said "The Prophet" He fought for a long time to change the stereotypical image of the Arab in the Western conscience, referring to his experiences in the films “The Citizen” and “The Citizen.” and "Kingdom of Heaven", where he refused to wear shabby or dirty clothes: in "Citizen" They wanted me to look worn out, so I refused. The Lebanese cares about his appearance even if he does not have money… and in the “Kingdom of Heaven” The matter was repeated: “I was embodying an Iraqi doctor, and the doctor was clean regardless of the circumstances.”
The artist Khaled Al-Nabawi was moved when he spoke about the suffering of the Arab immigrant, dreaming of an alternative homeland: Our country is a paradise that we do not feel. In the film, I was dreaming that we would dream here, not there, where they ask you to leave.
Al-Nabawi stressed that the actor is responsible before entire work crews: It is not good to be late or say that you are tired… You are taking millions and there are people who work and are tired and their livelihoods are hanging on you… He stressed the need for the actor to have his internal tools and sincere emotions in front of the camera.
Recovered Al-Nabawi reminisced about his beginnings, saying that he did not realize his desire to act while studying at the Agricultural Cooperation Institute: I found a door marked “Theatre”… I entered to watch, and the director asked me to read a scene, and I went back to sleep in a starring role.. And he did not forget his first feeling during rehearsals: I felt a strange happiness that still accompanies me today.
He stopped in front of his teachers, who left an impression. In his career: About Hussein Fahmy: A professor and a friend.. From him I learned the details of the scenes that precede art.. And about Youssef Chahine: His genius is in the smallest details.. Even the way he pronounces “action.” It carries a different feeling…and from Enas El Deghaidy, who gave up the contract for the film “Disco Disco”. For his sake: She told me: Go to Shaheen.. He is more important than me. She tore the necklace with her hand.
Regarding his dedication to honor film workers, he said: In "The Immigrant" They were preparing for an explosion scene that did not exceed ten seconds, working at the edge of the fences with great danger. I was afraid that I would not present the shot properly and waste their effort.
With these testimonies, Khaled Al-Nabawi appeared as an artistic voice that linked the craft to human dignity, and believed that presence in world cinema is not the rise of an individual, but rather the representation of an entire nation; A nation that refuses to have its identity reduced or distorted.. The honoring of the Prophet was a celebration of a journey extending from “the immigrant” And the "flood" And the "Kingdoms of Fire" To “Imam Al-Shafi’i”, passing through international experiences that made him a rare Arab voice in the space of international cinema.
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