The biography of the late director Youssef Chahine topped the scene of the 41st Cairo Film Festival currently underway in Egypt, on the occasion of the announcement of the festival's screening of aspects of the life of the Shahin family. The 95-minute film included rare footage from the archives of the international director's family, including photographs. Remarkably, Shaheen's dream of having his funeral out of the Omar Makram Mosque was renewed, and in the background a recitation by the reciter Sheikh Mohamed Refaat was a confirmation of Shaheen's deep belief in "shared Egyptian identity."

Directed by Marian Khoury, the niece of Youssef Chahine, "Ahkili" tells the lives of four generations of the family history that Shaheen described as "cosmopolitanism": the generation of the mother of Youssef Chahine, the grandmother of Marianne, the generation of Youssef Chahine himself, the generation of Marianne, the generation of Sarah Marianne. The film describes the struggle of generations and cultures in the family that belong to the Catholic roots in Zahle in Lebanon, Greek, and Egyptian communication, and consists of Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, Sunni and Shiite Muslims, and Druze, and stretches over three geographical spaces: Egypt, Lebanon, Greece, as well as The family speaks four languages: Arabic, French, English and Greek. Shaheen solved this conflict with his absolute affiliation to Egyptian identity, where he defined himself as «Egyptian first and X.», and the rest of the Kingdom NAT tributaries to configure. Khoury said in a press statement that «the film is 100% Egyptian production, it was difficult to share a production company and impose on her point of view, or to go to one of the funds of the film to ask for support, because (Akhili) has great privacy».

Egyptian will and love

"Youssef Chahine is an Egyptian, first and foremost, an Egyptian with will and love, despite genetics of several origins," said film critic Tarek El Shennawy. To him uses vocabulary that is not free from the conversations of the children of the country, and his favorite food (Koshary), and when he does not know the name of the updated called (Dakdak) ».

Al-Shinnawi, in detail this time what was said in passing and a hint in previous accounts, that Shaheen «recommended the funeral exit of the mosque of Omar Makram». He continued «I witness the incident of one of the attendance of the funeral of Youssef Chahine to implement the will of the great director by farewell from Omar Makram, and the voice of the recitation of the reader Mohamed Refaat», and noted Shenawi, to prevent any controversy surrounding the interpretation of this commandment, that «this desire is not a religious point», But the «Shaheen general human concept, which he embodied in the film Haddot Egyptian», embodied in the phrase «I do not care about your name, and your color, I care about man even if no title», a phrase inscribed on his cemetery in Shatby in Alexandria.

Will

One of Shaheen's students, director Khaled Youssef, said earlier that "Shaheen left a will to take solace in Omar Makram Mosque, and that his nephew Gabi Khoury did not mind, so that two consolations are held parallel."

Youssef Gabriel Shaheen was born on January 25, 1926 in Alexandria, attended St. Mark's Primary School, then at Victoria College, and traveled to the United States, where he studied theater at the Yasadena Pla House Institute, then returned to Egypt to show early talent. A film for him (Baba Amin), which is no more than 24 years, and also participated in the Cannes Film Festival «son of the Nile» one year later. In his life, Shahin directed 37 feature films and five short films. He died on June 15, 2008, and was described by Egyptian, Arab and international cultural and political circles. Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy called him "the defender of liberties."

Insurgent

Yusuf Shaheen, who was called "Joe" by his fans, was known for his rebellion and his indifferent attitudes to traditional restrictions. One of the funniest situations was a quarrel between him and the Arab singing woman, Umm Kulthum, where he asked him to come out with a song and he refused. She was known for her strong, overwhelming personality.

- tells a movie

«Tell me» who

Directed by Marian Khoury,

Yusuf's niece

Shaheen, four lives

Generations of family history

Described by Shaheen

Cosmopolitanism.