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On the other side of Life
> Chahine in Bab al-Hadid
Youssef Chahine: Collection
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Youssef Chahine: The artist and the activist
In the following years to come, Chahine will be praised as the ‘leading voice of Arab cinema’ and ‘Egypt’s most acclaimed and mysterious director’. Even Nicolas Sarkozy – the French president is said to have referred to the filmmaker as an “energetic defender of freedom of opinion”.
His relentless support for the fight against censorship and discrimination was arguably imminent in all of his films. “All my projects are high risk, and I fight like mad,” Chahine told The International Herald Tribune during a 1997 interview.
“I spend 80 percent of my time on politics, 20 percent making movies. Raising money is politics; every penny I make goes back into cinema. I can’t afford to stop.”
Politics was not the only theme Chahine confronted. In his film, Iskandariyah... lih? (Alexandria…why?), Chahine explores Gay- Bisexual themes. The film looks at the forbidden passions between a Jew and a Muslim communist and the main character – Yehia's uncle and a young British soldier.
The film was also banned from screens almost immediately.
Chahine’s Legacy
However, irrespective of all the obstacles, Chahine was presented a lifetime achievement award at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival. He was also honoured for his contribution to the film world by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).
His fight against injustice through film and in life remained his priority even until death. In 2007, a year before he died, Chahine directed Heya Fawda (Is This Chaos?), which boldly criticized Egypt’s leadership.
On July 27, 2008, Youssef Chahine died after an apparent cerebral Haemorrhage. But his work lives on in the hearts of many worldwide.
> Screenshot from Chahine's El Maseer
"I am what I am. You all invent myths. None of you dares face his reality. Transparent, vulnerable oafs... that's you, not me."
These are words of Youssef Chahine, the well-respected and most popular cinematic voice of the pan-Arab world, who also is hailed as one of Africa’s beloved directors. Putting a mirror to his people’s face, Chahine’s films reflected the culture of a society riddled with questions unanswered and stories untold.
In 1926, Chahine was born in Alexandria, Egypt, into a Catholic home, but although when asked what religion he was, he would say – ‘Egyptian’. From an early age, Chahine’s enthusiasm for the performing arts was evident, as he loved to create shows at home for his family to enjoy.
He later convinced his parents to send him off to the Pasadena Playhouse in Hollywood to study acting. However on returning to Egypt, Chahine’s interest quickly changed from on camera to behind the camera.
And at the age of 23, he directed his first film, Baba Amin.
Beginnings of a cinematic legend
His second film, Nile Boy, paved a new path for him, as it was for this film he was invited to attend the Cannes Film Festival in 1951. A year later, Egypt overthrew the monarchy and celebrated their new leader, Gamal Abdel Nasser, who Chahine supported.
In the year, 1954 – three films later – Chahine directed the film, Sira’ fi-l-Wadi (The Blazing Sun) where the well-acclaimed actor, Omar Sharif first appeared. However it was in Bab al-Hadid (Cairo Central Station), that Chahine’s true colour and personality is said to have emerged.
Chahine starred in the film, playing the lead character, Kenaoui, a simple newspaper-seller, who is sexually drawn to the character, Hanouma. In the film, Hanouma’s flirtatious reaction intensifies Kenaoui’s sexual frustrations and ultimately leads to her death.
The brashness of the film aroused discomfort within the Egyptian audience and so as rejected and banned from screen for about 20 years.
It was such films that constantly brought tension between Chahine and the Egyptian film industry, which was backed by their government.
And so in 1964, Chahine packed his bags and voluntarily went into exile to Lebanon. It was there that he shot two musicals – Bayya al-Khawatim (Ring Seller) in 1965) and a year later, Rim al-Dhahab (Sands of Gold).
> Filmmaker, Yossef Chahine, was known for his constant fight against censorship
