 |
Al-Ahram Weekly 12 - 18 August 1999 Issue No. 442 
|
||
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
| ||
|
Al-Ahram Weekly 12 - 18 August 1999 Issue No. 442
|
||
| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
| ||
Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Books Features Travel Living Sports Time Out Chronicles People Cartoons Letters 
Pack of Cards
By Madame Sosostris
- Hello dears, I'm sure you'll agree, after reading this week's pack, that I'm certainly one of the hippest women around. At least that's what my good friend Mohamed Heneidi told me at the private screening of his brand new film Hammam fi Amsterdam. Cinema Tahrir was certainly the place to be on Tuesday night; you should have seen the number of stars, the hordes of paparazzi following them and practically bursting their flashbulbs in the process. I sat quietly on a couch and watched the parade go by.
Culture Minister Farouk Hosni showed up, as did actors Salah El-Sa'dani, Farouk El-Fishawi, Karim Abdel-Aziz, Hani Salama, and Hani Ramzi, as well as Heneidi's co-star in the film, Ahmed El-Saqqa, who, of course, was accompanied by his lovely fiancée Maha El-Saghir. As for the actresses, I waved across the crowded lobby to Mona Zaki, Youssra, and Ghada Adel, who was with her husband, producer Magdi El-Hawari. Mona Lisa, Heneidi's co-star in the film, and a fresh new face in Egyptian cinema, was also there and looked ravishing.
But Heneidi, of course, was the star attraction. He was the one we had all come to see, both on screen and in the flesh. It's amazing that such a hilarious actor is so down-to-earth in real life, but that's Heneidi for you. He is also rather religious, carrying his sibha and always thanking God for his tremendous success. For tremendous it is, dears, and, at the risk of being ostracised by some of my snootier friends, I'd say well deserved too. At the screening, Heneidi looked chic in a canary yellow jacket and black slacks. He also had on those frameless glasses that make him look so serious.
As for the supposedly trivial entertainment that our younger generations like these days, after seeing Hammam fi Amsterdam I would say the more appropriate term is "feel-good".
It's much the same formula as Heneidi's last hit, about an Upper Egyptian attending classes at the American University in Cairo. It's all about the meeting of East and West and converging values.
The private screening of Hammam fi Amsterdam: far left, top, Heneidi and his father; center, with Mona Zaki; above, Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni with Mohamed Heneidi, Ahmed El-Saqqa, Mohamed El-Adl and Mona Lisa; above right, Maha El-Saghir, El-Saqqa, Magdi El-Hawari, Heneidi, Ghada Adel, Said Hamid, Medhat El-Adl
This film is about a young lad who wants to get married, and who goes abroad in search of work so that he can fulfill his bride's family's demands. When said bride ends up jilting him and marrying a more financially desirable groom, Hammam goes to Holland, determined to be a smash hit. Along the way to becoming one of Holland's premier restaurateurs (that's right!), he gets up to some high jinks and stitch-inducing capers. I'm sure you're dying to hear some of the funniest parts, but I can't even give you a hint. You'll just have to go see for yourself...
As in Sa'idi , Heneidi helps his roommates, whose ambitions always clash, get along (here the theme is given an Arab unity twist, which I must say appealed to my nationalist sentiments), and everything works out in the end.
Now I know that's one of the things people criticise these films for -- trivialising and mixing serious messages --but I'll tell you this much: it was hard to resist the Heneidi fever going round. I laughed, I cried, I cheered, in general had a splendid time and didn't feel bored for a single second. Nor did anyone in the audience, come to think of it, dears. I would call this new trend Hollywood by the Nile.
The Heneidi team and the Adl brothers, producer Mohamed, scriptwriter Medhat, and actor Sami, are smart cookies all. They sprinkle their films with and political messages, aiming straight for the viewers' gut reaction. While in Sai'idi fil-Gam'a Al-Amrikiya Heneidi burns an Israeli flag, in Hammam he battles an Israeli colleague who is constantly sabotaging him.
I was still chuckling to myself as I walked out of the cinema after the screening. The crowds outside had practically closed the street down, waiting for a glimpse of the stars. This one certainly looks set to be a winner, but we've all known that for a while, of course.
The Cinema Festival Awards, from left:
Abdel-Qader El-Qot, Ali Abu Shadi, Farouk Hosni, Madeleine Tabar, Youssra, Ahmed Zaki, Radwan El-Kashef, Wahid Hamid
- Ah, cinema! Have you noticed, dears, that perhaps I might be a tad obsessed? Still, not to worry, sweeties, I'm sure you are too. Which is why you're sure to thank me for telling you all about the awards ceremony for the fifth National Festival for Egyptian Cinema that I attended earlier in the week. Again, it was a real carnival of stars, and I spent ample time chatting with all my favorite cinema people. Since you can read all about the feature film awards and my dear friend Radwan El-Kashef's triumph on the Weekly's culture page this week, I'll confine myself to the interesting results of the documentary film competition.
While Adel Yehia's Qahirat Anani (Anani's Cairo) won the Best Debut Award, fresh graduates of the Cinema Institute reaped all the short fiction awards: directors Rasha El-Kurdi, Mohamed Ali and Hala Lutfi won the three official awards, Best Film, Special Jury Award and Best Debut, respectively.
Director Ahmed Rashwan's documentary Gowa Al-Bashar (Inside People), which received the Special Jury Award, documents the activities of the popular society entitled the Children of Upper Egypt for Education and Development, with whom Sister Celiste Khayat works. Sister Celeste is a nun who dedicated her life to teaching music to children.
That's all, dears. Can't wait till next week!
From left: Mohammadein, Ghoneim, Khaled and Salma, Hamdi, Said, Mrs Hassan Hamdi
- Oh what a time I had, dearies, with my dear colleague Moushira Said, at the Nile Hilton's Alf Leila wa Leila ballroom last week. We were there for the fabulous wedding party of Moushira's son Khaled Anis. Khaled, a diplomat, married the charming Salma El-Ashri, granddaughter of former minister Sami Sharaf, in case you didn't know. The lavish wedding was attended by Dr Osama El-Baz, political advisor to President Mubarak, and former minister Mohamed Fa'iq. Moushira is the follow-up director of the Publications Department at Al-Ahram, and the organisation's top brass were all there with her on this extremely joyous occasion. I enjoyed the company of Ali Ghoneim, the Deputy Chairman of the Board, Hassan Hamdi, the Gneeral Director of Advertising, and Mohamed Mohammadein, the Director-General for Al-Ahram publications and member of the board.
As we wished Khaled and Salma a happy future, I couldn't help but feel inspired by the glowing smiles on their faces.
Nadia Makram Ebeid
- Today, my sweets, I will be focusing my attention on another one of my obsessions, the environment. My good friend Nadia Makram Ebeid, the Minister of of State for Environmental Affairs, has invited me over to El- Gouna, that wonderful environmentally-friendly -- and chic to boot -- Red Sea resort, for an "Intellectual Environmental Dialogue" which the Ministry is hosting. I've always had a soft spot in my heart for all those who care about the environment, and Minister Ebeid is at the top of that list, along with companies like Orascom Touristic Projects, who founded El-Gouna. The guest speaker at the event is none other than the renowned environmental economist Professor Theodore Panayatou, Director of the Harvard Institute for International Development. Also participating will be Ibrahim Abdel-Geleil, who is the Executive Head of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Authority, and many other environmental experts, as well as parliamentarians, businessmen and the generally civic-minded. See you there!
