Bibliotheca Alexandrina kick-started a project that aims to document the life and career of late iconic Egyptian actress Faten Hamama on Sunday, according to Al-Ahram Arabic.

The project, reported Mohamed Abdelghany, comes as part of an even bigger project undertaken by Bibliotheca Alexandrina to document the lives of the icons of the seventh art and to preserve Egypt’s modern history.

The project is done in collaboration with Hamama’s husband, Dr. Mohamed Abd Elwahab, who provided Bibliotheca Alexandrina with Hamama’s personal belongings.

The collection, which comprises of photos of Hamama’s vibrant career as well as press material about her rich vocation, will soon be exhibited at Cairo’s Bayt Al-Sinnari which is managed by Bibliotheca Alexandrina. 

Last month also witnessed the second Faten Hamama Film Festival, a four-day event which took place at Cairo’s Hanager Arts Centre in the Cairo Opera House grounds.

The second annual festival screened over 30 recently released documentaries, feature and short films by Egyptian and international filmmakers, chosen from over 400 submissions. Two lesser-known short films from 1973 starring Hamama were also screened: Oreedo Haza El-Rajol (I Want That Man), and Al-Sahira (The Witch).

Hamama was one of Egypt’s most prominent actresses in the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s.

She was born in the Delta city of Mansoura and made her film debut when she was seven years old, acting in Youm Saeed (Happy Day) alongside singer and composer Mohamed Abdel Wehab, and went on to star in over two dozen films.

In 1963, during her heyday, she starred in an American film called Cairo.

Hamama also acted in several TV shows, including Dameer Abla Hekmat (The Conscience of Mrs. Hekmat) in 1992 and Wagh Al-Qamar (Face of the Moon) which premiered in 2000.  

The "Lady of the Screen," as she was dubbed, won a number of awards and honours throughout her career.

She was chosen the “Star of the Century” at the 2001 Alexandria International Festival, honouring her lifetime achievement in Egyptian cinema.

Hamama married film star Omar Sharif in 1955. They co-starred in several movies together and became one of Egypt's most famous celebrity couples, before divorcing in the mid-1970s. Omar Sharif passed away shortly after Hamama, on 10 July 2015.

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