Souad Hosny سعاد حسني

Souad Muhammad Kamal Hosny El Baba, simply known as Souad Hosny, was one of the most famous and influential actresses of Egyptian cinema. Born on 26 January 1942 in Būlāq, a district of Cairo located between the neighborhoods of Wust al-Balad, Ezbekiyya and the Nile, she grew up in a stimulating and varied family environment, although very complex.

Her father, Mohamed Kamal Hosni al-Baba, was a famous Syrian calligraphy of Kurdish ethnicity who moved to the Egyptian capital in 1912 and joined the Royal Institute of Arabic Calligraphy. His house was known as "the house of the artists", leading exponents of the art world, coming from all over the Arab world, regularly visited it for private lessons and social interactions with the master calligrapher. Souad's father, whose work included the production of frames for silent films and book covers, was well known throughout the art community.

The family environment was quite eventful. In fact, tenth of a large brood, Souad had 8 brothers born from the previous marriage of his father, 2 sisters of blood and 6 brothers had by her mother following the divorce from Mohammad Hosni when she was about five years old.

Some of these kids will become renowned artists in various fields. Najat al Saghira, famous half-sister of Souad, will be known throughout the Arab world for her singing skills, The half-brother Ez zeddin Hosni will become a composer and teach music and singing both at Souad and at Najat, the Sami and Farooq brothers will become cellists and painter.

Souad will begin her career as a child by taking part in the radio program "Baba Sharo" and soon became well known thanks to the interpretation of the song "Ukht al Qamar".

Her entry into the world of cinema will take place thanks to the interest of director Abd El Rahman El Khamissy who, a family friend, will notice her acting talent and will provide her with a leading role in the film "Hassan Wa Na'ima" directed by Henry Barakat in 1959, a film adaptation of a famous radio program. 

Hassan wa Na'ima

Souad's career will definitely take flight. Thanks to her clean image, her funny sense of humor, her spontaneity and a very lively presence, she will soon become an actress much loved by the public and much appreciated by the directors.

Throughout hercareer she has held many roles. Although she is very often remembered for her participation in light and cheeky films such as "Khalli balak min zuzu", perhaps her best-known film, she has distinguished herself with good results in dramatic roles of great social value in political and historical films.

The bulk of her production mainly involved the 60s and 70s, including titles that greatly influenced social customs and assigned her the role of Cinderella of Egyptian cinema (this is in fact the nickname with which she was known). Through the image of diva of pop culture, friendly and reassuring, Souad Hosny has conveyed progressive thoughts and ideas. In the films "Al sit al nazra" and "Baba 'ayez kidda", both made in 1968, she plays the role of a girl who claims the right to choose her partner, while in the 1979 film "Shafika wa Mutawaly" transforms musical numbers in political satires that give voice to the oppressed. 



It's no a coincidence if   the masses in 2011 during the protests that the Western media have prosaically called "Arab Springs" have adopted a song of her as an anthem, perhaps reminiscent of the film "Al Karnak", taken from the novel of the great Egyptian writer Nagib Mahfuz, in which she played the role of a political activist student tortured by power.


If throughout the 1960s she had even made 6 films in a year, towards the end of the 1970s her productions thinned out and her works often saw her playing roles as abused women and victims of male power.

As for her sentimental life, like every good star who respects herself, she is credited with various flirtations, the most important of which concerns the famous singer Abdel Halim Hafez. She will marry four times, always with exponents of the world of cinema, but she will never have children.

In the mid-80s, during the filming of the television series "Huwa wa Hiya" began to appear the symptoms of a disease that will accompany her until the end of her days. Suffering from spinal injuries caused by vertebral erosion, she will be able to make one last film in 1991 entitled "Al-ra'i wa al nisa" directed by her ex-husband, director Ali Badrakhan, before retiring from the scene.

In 1992 she will travel to France to undergo a spinal surgery that will not solve her problems. Back home, her health conditions will gradually worsen, compromising her mental state. She will then travel to London for further medical treatment.

On 21 June 2001, the lifeless body of Souad Hosny will be found in London on a sidewalk at the foot of the Stuart Tower, the building where she resided, after a fall from the sixth floor. Her death is shrouded in mystery.

If at first it seemed to be a suicide, the British court so ruled in 2002, many trials lead to thinking of something else.

Souad Hosny worked at the time of her death on an autobiography, recording notes on various tapes. The tapes in question were never found. It is said that they could contain information that would damage important Egyptian public figures. With the end of the Mubarak regime and the various arrests of political figures that followed, was named as the instigator of the murder of the actress Safwat El Sherif, president of the Shura, the upper house of the Egyptian parliament, responsible for security services.
However, the situation still remains nebulous.

Souad Hosny will be buried in Cairo in a plot of land owned by the family located on the outskirts of the city. More than 10,000 people will attend the funeral.

During her career she has made about 90 films. Although not a singer, surely her voice does not belong to the artistic heritage of the Arab world, her songs have entered the popular imagination of her country. With her work she contributed to the liberation of the female gender and offered a model of a committed, thinking and independent woman.


In 2013, Lebanese director Rania Stephan made a beautiful documentary on the actress's career entitled "The Three Disappearances of Soad Hosny", using fragments of her films to tell the story.

Souad Muhammad Kamal Hosny El Baba,nota semplicemente come Souad Hosny, è stata una tra le attrici più conosciute e influenti del cinema egiziano. Nata il 26 gennaio 1942 a Būlāq, un quartiere del Cairo situato fra i quartieri di Wust al-Balad, Ezbekiyya e il Nilo, è cresciuta in un ambiente familiare stimolante e variegato, per quanto molto complesso.

Il padre,Mohamed Kamal Hosni al-Baba, fu un famoso calligrafo siriano di etnia curda che si trasferì nella capitale egiziana nel 1912 ed entrò a far parte del Royal Institute of Arabic Calligraphy. La sua casa era conosciuta come "la casa degli artisti" poiché esponenti di spicco del mondo dell’arte, provenienti da tutto il mondo arabo, la visitavano regolarmente per lezioni private ed interazioni sociali con il maestro calligrafo. Il padre di Souad,il cui lavoro comprendeva la produzione di cornici per film muti e copertine di libri, era ben noto in tutta la comunità artistica. 

L’ambiente familiare era piuttosto movimentato. Infatti, decima di una progenie decisamente numerosa, Souad poteva vantare ben 8 fratelli nati dal precedente matrimonio del padre, 2 sorelle di sangue e 6 fratelli avuti dalla madre in seguito al divorzio da Mohammad Hosni quando lei aveva circa cinque anni.

Alcuni di questi ragazzi diverranno artisti di fama in vari campi. Najat al Saghira, famosa sorellastra di Souad, sarà conosciuta in tutto il mondo arabo per le sue doti canore, Il fratellastro Ez zeddin Hosni diverrà compositore e insegnerà musica e canto sia a Souad che a Najat, i fratelli Sami e Farooq diverranno rispettivamente violoncellista e pittore. 

Souad inizierà la sua carriera da bambina prendendo parte al programma radiofonico “Baba Sharo” divenendo ben presto molto conosciuta grazie all’interpretazione del brano “ Ukht al Qamar”.

Il suo ingresso nel mondo del cinema avverrà in virtù dell’interessamento del regista Abd El Rahman El Khamissy il quale, amico di famiglia, noterà il suo talento recitativo e le procurerà una parte di primo piano nel film "Hassan Wa Na’ima" diretto da Henry Barakat nel 1959, adattamento cinematografico di un famoso programma radiofonico.

La carriera di Souad prenderà decisamente il volo. Grazie alla sua immagine pulita, al suo divertente senso dell’umorismo, alla sua spontaneità e ad una presenza molto vivace, diverrà in breve tempo un attrice molto amata dal pubblico e molto cercata dai registi.

Nel corso della sua carriera ha ricoperto molti ruoli. Anche se molto spesso viene ricordata per la sua partecipazione a film leggeri e sbarazzini quali “Khalli balak min zuzu” , forse il suo film più conosciuto, si è distinta con buoni risultati in ruoli drammatici dal grande valore sociale in film politici e storici .

Il grosso della sua produzione ha interessato principalmente gli anni’60 e ‘70 comprendendo titoli che hanno influenzato notevolmente il costume della società e che le hanno assegnato il ruolo di Cenerentola del cinema egiziano ( questo è infatti il soprannome con il quale era conosciuta). Attraverso l’immagine di diva del cinema e della cultura pop, simpatica e rassicurante, Souad Hosny ha comunque veicolato pensieri e idee che nulla avevano di tradizionale. Nei film “ Al sit al nazra” e “ Baba ‘ayez kidda “,entrambi realizzati nel 1968, interpreta il ruolo di una ragazza che rivendica il diritto di scegliere il proprio partner mentre nel film “ Shafika wa Mutawaly” del 1979 trasforma i numeri musicali in satire politiche che danno voce agli oppressi.

Non è un caso se i ragazzi scesi in piazza nel 2011 nel corso delle proteste che i media occidentali hanno prosaicamente chiamato “ Primavere arabe” hanno intonato molte volte un suo brano musicale, forse memori del film “Al Karnak” , tratto dal romanzo del grande scrittore egiziano Nagib Mahfuz, nel quale interpretava il ruolo di una studentessa attivista politica torturata dal potere. 

Se per tutti gli anni’60 era arrivata a realizzare anche 4 film in un anno, verso la fine degli anni’70 le sue produzioni si diradano e le sue opere la vedono spesso interpretare ruoli di donne maltrattate e vittime del potere maschile.

Per quanto riguarda la sua vita sentimentale, come ogni buona star che si rispetti, le vengono attribuiti vari flirt il più rilevante dei quali interessa il famoso cantante Abdel Halim Hafez. Si sposerà quattro volte , sempre con esponenti del mondo del cinema, ma non avrà mai figli. 

A metà degli ‘80,durante le riprese della serie televisiva "huwa wa hiya" iniziarono ad apparire i sintomi di una malattia che l’accompagnerà sino alla fine dei suoi giorni. Affetta da lesioni alla colonna vertebrale causate da un erosione delle vertebre , riuscirà a realizzare un ultimo film nel 1991 intitolato “Al-ra’i wa al nisa’” diretto dal suo ex marito, il regista Ali Badrakhan, prima di ritirarsi dalle scene. 

Nel 1992 si recherà in Francia per sottoporsi a un intervento chirurgico alla colonna vertebrale che non risolverà comunque i suoi problemi. Tornata in patria le sue condizioni di salute peggioreranno gradualmente compromettendo il suo stato mentale. Si recherà quindi a Londra per ulteriori cure mediche. 

 Il 21 Giugno del 2001 il corpo senza vita di Souad Hosny verrà trovato a Londra su di un marciapiede ai piedi della Stuart Tower, l’edificio in cui risiedeva, dopo una caduta dal sesto piano. La sua morte è avvolta dal mistero.

Se in un primo momento sembrava si trattasse di suicidio ( il tribunale britannico così sentenziò nel 2002),  molte prove inducono a pensare altro.

Souad Hosny lavorava al momento della morte ad un autobiografia registrando appunti su vari nastri. I nastri in questione non furono mai trovati . Si dice che potessero contenere informazioni che avrebbero danneggiato importanti personaggi pubblici Egiziani. Con la fine del regime di Mubarak e i vari arresti di esponenti politici che ne seguirono , fu indicato come il mandante dell’omicidio dell’attrice Safwat El Sherif, presidente della Shura , la camera alta del parlamento egiziano, resposabile dei servizi di sicurezza.

Tuttora la situazione rimane comunque nebulosa. Souad Hosny sarà sepolta al Cairo in un appezzamento di terreno proprietà della famiglia situato alla periferia della città. Al suo funerale parteciperanno più di 10.000 persone.

Nel corso della sua carriera ha realizzato circa 90 film. Pur non essendo una cantante, sicuramente la sua voce non appartiene al patrimonio artistico del mondo arabo, le sue canzoni sono entrate nell’immaginario popolare del suo paese. Con la sua opera ha contribuito all’affrancamento del genere femminile ed ha offerto un modello di donna impegnata , pensante ed indipendente.

Nel 2013 la regista libanese Rania Stephan ha realizzato un bel documentario sulla carriera dell’attrice intitolato “ The Three Disappearances of Soad Hosny” , utilizzando frammenti dei suoi film per raccontarne la storia. 









                                                      Filmography

1959 Hasan wa Naima حسن ونعيمة

1960 El banat wa al saif البنات والصيف


1960 Mal wa Nisa’ مال ونساء


1960 Gharamiat Imra'a غراميات امرأة


1960 Isha’a hubb إشاعة حب


1960 Thalatha rijal wa imra’a ثلاثة رجال وإمرأة


1961 Mafish tafahum مافيش تفاهم


1961 El dow' El khafet الضوء الخافت


1961 Limadha a’ish لماذا أعيش


1961 Ha’ 3 هاء


1961 El safira Aziza السفيرة عزيزة


1961 El Saba’a banat السبع بنات


1961 A’az el habaib أعز الحبايب


1962 El ashqia’ el thalatha الأشقياء الثلاثة


1962 Ghosn el zeitoun غصن الزيتون


1962 Sera’ ma’a al malaika صراع مع الملائكة


1962 Min Gheir Me'ad من غير ميعاد


1962 Maw’id fe El borg موعد في البرج


1963 El sahera el saghira الساحرة الصغيرة

1963 Sir el hariba سر الهاربة


1963 El Garima El Dahika الجريمة الضاحكة


1963 ‘aila Zizi عائلة زيزي


1963 Shaqawa banat شقاوة بنات


1963 El ‘aris Yasel Ghadan العريس يصل غدًا


1964 Al Morahekan المراهقان


1964 Awal hub أول حب


1964 El ‘uzzab El Talata العزاب الثلاثة


1964 L’aba El Hob Wa El Gawaz لعبة الحب والجواز


1964 Hikaya Gawaz حكاية جواز


1964 Al Tariq الطريق


1964 Lil Rigal Fakat للرجال فقط


1965 Laila el zafaf ليلة الزفاف


1966 Al Qahira thalathin القاهرة 30


1966 Shaqawa rijala شقاوة رجالة


1966 El mughamerun el thalatha المغامرون الثلاثة


1966 El thalatha yuhibbunaha الثلاثه يحبونها


1966 Guanab el safir جناب السفير


1966 Mabka el oshaq مبكى العشاق


1966 Saghira ‘ala el-hob صغيرة على الحب


1966 Shakket el talaba شقة الطلبة


1966 Fares Bani Hemdan فارس بني حمدان


1967 El liqa' el thani اللقاء الثاني


1967 Shabab magnoun giddan شباب مجنون جداً


1967 Al zawja al thaniya الزوجة الثانية


1968 Baba ‘ayez kidda بابا عايز كده


1968 Al sit al nazra الست الناظرة


1968 Hawa’ wa al qerd حواء والقرد


1968 Hikayat thalatha banat حكاية 3 بنات


1968 Helwa wa shakia حلوة وشقية


1968 Nar Al-Hob نار الحب


1968 Zawag ‘ala tariqa el-haditha الزواج على الطريقة الحديثة


1968 Al-tilmidha wa al Ustadh التلميذة والأستاذ


1969 Beer El Herman بئر الحرمان


1969 Nadia نادية


1969 Fatat El Esste'rad فتاة الاستعراض


1969 She' Min El ‘adhab شيء من العذاب


1970 El Hob El Daye' الحب الضائع


1970 Ghroob Wa Shrooq غروب وشروق


1971 Zawgaty wal kalb زوجتي والكلب


1971 Al-ikhtiyar الاختيار


1972 Khally ballak men ZouZou خلي بالك من زوزو


1972 El Khof الخوف


1972 Al-nass wal Nil الناس والنيل


1973 Al-hob aladhi kana الحب الذي كان


1973 Ghoroba' غرباء


1974 Amira Hobbi Ana أميرة حبي أنا


1974 Ayn ‘aqli أين عقلي


1975 Al karnak الكرنك


1975 ‘ala min notlik Al-Rosas على من نطلق الرصاص


1979 Shafika wa Mutawaly شفيقة ومتولي


1979 El Motwahesha المتوحشة


1981 Ahl el qema أهل القمة


1981 Maw’id ala ashaa موعد على العشاء


1981 Al-Mashbuh المشبوه


1981 Al Qadisiyya القادسية



1982 Gharib fi Bayti غريب في بيتي


1983 Hob Fi El-Zinzana حب في الزنزانة


1984 afghanistan limadha ? أفغانستان لماذا ؟


1985 Hekayat Howa wa Heya (TV Mini-Series) حكايات هو و هي


1986 Asfour El Sharq عصفور الشرق


1986 Al-gou’ الجوع


1988 El Daraga El Talta الدرجة الثالثة


1991 Al-ra’i wa al nisa’ الراعي والنساء

 

2013 The Three Disappearances of Soad Hosny اختفاءات سعاد حسني الثلاثة 

 Souad Hosny سعاد حسني - Nukhba ajmal aghana Cinderella نخبة اجمل اغانى سنداريللا

A1 Ya Wad Ya Taqil ياواد ياتقيل
A2 El donya Rabe'a الدنيا ربيع
A3 Kiko كيكو
A4 Ehna El Talaba احنا الطلبه
B1 Lubnanyat لبنانيات
B2 Bambi
B3 Dola min دولا مين
B4 Khali Balak Min Zuzu خلي بالك من زوزو

HERE




Souad Hosny سعاد حسني - Aghana musalsal Huwa wa Hiya هو و هى اغانى مسلسل

01 Huwa wa Hiya هو و هى
02 El Shokolata شيكولاته
03 Kali El Biyya خالي البيه
04 Mahala El 'arosa محلا العروسه
05 Sony El Hendiya سوتي الهنديه 

06 Ya tera inta fyn ya habiby ياتري انت فين ياحبيبي
07 Athbet اثبت
08 El Banat El Banat البنات البنات
09 Gars El Fosha جرس الفسحه
10 Baba Zamanu Gayy بابا زمانو جي
11 Halaqtak Bergalat حلقاتك برجالات
12 'aid milad sa'ida ya nassima عيد ميلاد سعيد يا نسمة
13 Galabiya party جلابية بارتي
14 Tamet bihamd allah تمت بحمد الله

HERE



Souad Hosny سعاد حسني - Collection

01 Ashkal rubabikya اشكال روبابيكيا
02 Bahiya al barawiya بهية البراوية
03 Shuf min Imta شوف من امتى
04 Margahny مرجحنى
05 Ana lissa saghira أنا لسه صغيرة
06 Bady ahki lakum qissa بدي أحكي لكم قصة
07 Khudny ma'ak خدني معاك
08 Shahrazad شهرزاد
09 Shika bika شيكابيكا
10 Baba ya Baba بابا يابابا
11 Ana Maria انا ماريا
12 El Fatah Al Methaliya الفتاه المثاليه


HERE