Youssef Chahine

Youssef Chahine, born in 1926, Egyptian film director who started in the studios of Cairo and Beirut with melodramas and musical comedies, but who very soon distinguished himself as an innovative film director recognized on the international scene. Very early he manifested his social concerns : The Black Waters (les Eaux noires; Sirafi al-mina, 1956) was to be the first Arab film evoking the condition of the working class. Central Station (Gare centrale; Bab al-adid, 1958) and The Land (la Terre; Al-Ard, 1969) displayed his talent as director in complex narratives which captivated Western critics. Recognized as a major film director with The Sparrow (le Moineau; Al-Usfur, 1973) and The Return of the Prodigal Son (le Retour du fils prodigue; Awda al-ibn ad-da, 1976), he was able to produce an autobiographical work, Alexandria—Why ? (Alexandrie, pourquoi ?; Iskandariyya lih ?, 1978), and other ambitious films, including two co-productions with France, Adieu Bonaparte (1985) and The Sixth Day (le Sixième jour) (1986), followed by The Emigré (l’Emigré; Al Mohager, 1994).