From herding sheep to universality .. A special meeting with the artist "Al-Afish" Shams Al-Din in Arabic

Hussam Fahmy

A young Algerian plastic artist, who specializes in drawing films (avish) films the old way, before modern technology dominated this art, as it controlled everything else, it is Shams El Din in Arabic, the struggling Algerian painter, who was born and lived in a small village in western Algeria .

He worked in herding sheep with his maternal uncle, and at that time she was attracted by the bright images of movie stars on the pages of newspapers, and he looked into them and tried to draw them in the sand, to pass the days and years, and after suffering, the rise and fall, this painter finally reaches the starting point towards practicing his passion as a professional in drawing posters Many foreign films, the most important of which is a documentary about the Chinese action movie star "Polo Young", the man who participated in more than a hundred international films, and was particularly famous for his films with the legendary star "Bruce Lee", and the famous action movie star "John Claude Van Damme" ".

Al Jazeera Net met the young Algerian artist Shamseddine in Arabic, and we had with him this dialogue:

How was your start with the art of making movie posters?
When I reached the age of six I moved to the city to enroll in school, and there the teachers discovered my talent, and I began to give more importance to painting than the rest of the subjects, and as a poor family I had to stop studying and go out into the street to practice drawing as a craft, such as decorating shops and decor.

I was passing by the cinema halls to see the huge posters and pictures of the movie stars at the hall doors, and when I return home I draw all that I saw on the drawing papers, but the tools I used to draw were for children, such as watercolors and chalk, because I do not have money to buy tools for professionals .

At the time I was living with my family under one roof, we slept in it all, and cooked in it, and the ceiling was broken, and we were suffering in the winter time from the severe rains that were entering the house, and because of it, unfortunately, a lot of my work was damaged, and this was a reason to send the rest of the fees abroad.

I started sending the cartoons to the movie production companies in Hollywood, and people called me crazy, but I relied on God because he gave me this talent, and I continued to work and work, and the years passed and I did not receive any response, and after that I entered a very difficult stage, and my health was affected and I entered the hospital three months.

After I got out of the hospital, one day I received a letter from an American producer, and he told me that he admired my artwork and submitted it to the producers and directors in Hollywood, and then I received a request to complete the first poster of a movie called "Watch this", starring the famous American actor "Harrison page", and it was really popular with fans, and I received requests from producers from all over the world.

What are the most important works that you drew as a child before making a professional movie poster?
When I was a child, I drew a lot of famous movie posters, most notably the message films and Omar Mukhtar, directed by Mustafa Al-Aqqad, may God have mercy on him, and painted posters of action movie heroes such as "Van Damme", "Jackie Chan" and "Mike Tyson".

Why do you think the art of making movie posters has disappeared in our Arab world and throughout the world?
The extinction of this art is due to the digital technology that took the place of the poster painters, and also due to the death of many of the Arabians of this art in many countries of the world, and even those who remain are elderly and are no longer required as in the past, but in the Arab world the poster is hand-drawn Today it is the museum or historical study fairs.

What is your most important work? Will we see works for you in upcoming films?
I drew a lot of foreign film posters, which is a total of 14 cinematographic posters; I mention "The News", "Honor", "Watch This", and designed the historical documentary poster "Chinese Hercules: The BOLO YEUNG Story", in which the actor tells the legend "Polo Young" about his life's cinema from its inception until today.

As for my future work, I am currently working on a science fiction Hollywood movie poster, which will be shown at the end of the year, God willing, and I have posters for other works that I have not started yet. As for my dream, I dream of opening an international school to teach poster painting in the Arab world that attracts all talents, God willing.

What is the most beautiful moment in your career so far?
The most beautiful moment is when I was honored by a Belgian cinematographic delegation who visited me in Algeria and was led by the Belgian actor and boxer "JIMMY Gourad", and the film expert "Mâtre Mahla", and it was wonderful moments, and also I remember wonderful moments when the actor stayed The Hollywood "Michel Ques", better known as "Tung Po", is a dinner and invited me to consult on joint work.