Today El Gouna Film Festival, the art industry and Arab fans have lost one of the icons of the Arab and Egyptian silver screen, legendary actress Nadia Lutfi, who passed away aged 83 after a long heath battle.
Considered as one of the sizzling stars of Egypt’s cinematic golden age; Lutfi was born Paula Mohamed Mostafa Shafiq in 1937, Cairo to an Egyptian father and a Polish mother. She appropriated the name ‘Nadia Lutfi’ after the iconic character played by Faten Hamama in La Anam (I can’t Sleep); a movie based on Ihsan Abdel Quddous’ novel.
Lutfi rose to fame after playing a small role in Youssef Chahine’s Bab el Hadid (Cairo Station), which was later selected to participate at the 8th Berlin International Film Festival. During the 1960’s, Lutfi starred in more than 50 films most of which are considered cinematic landmarks like; Lel Regal Fakat (Only Men Allowed) directed by Mahmoud Zulfikar, Al Mostaheel (The Impossible) directed by Hussein Kamal, El khaena (The Unfaithful) directed by Kamal El Sheikh, El Sabaa Banat (The Seven Girls) directed by Atef Salem, and Al Mommia (The Night of Counting The Years) Shadi Abdel Salam’s only feature film, which was selected as the Egyptian entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 43rd Academy Awards.
During her golden days, Lutfi also starred in several films that were based on novels by Nobel-winning author Naguib Mahfouz like; El Seman we Al Kharief (Autumn Quail), and Kasr Al Shawk (Palace of Desire). She also starred in Abi Fawk Alshagara (My Father Is on The Tree) and La Totfe’ Al Shams (The Sun Will Never Set) both based on novels by Ihsan Abdel Quddous.
We are proud that the past three editions of GFF were a subject of careful and continuous follow-up and encouragement by the legendary artist.
Her loving memory will forever live with us through the years!
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