The Grandmother Of Egyptian Cinema. Poem by Bharati Nayak

The history of Egyptian film would be incomplete

Without taking the name of Aziza Amir.

Born on 17th December 1901 as Mofida Mohamed Ghoneim in Damietta Egypt,

She went to school at Hosn El Massarat on Mohemmad Ali Street

Aziza Amir was her stage name she adopted

When she started working on theatres

As acting on theatre by females

was scorned upon by the society.

Her love for theatres surmounted all opposition

And she worked in theatres from 1925 to 1935.

She had a passion for cinema and acting

She had encountered many hurdles from society.

After marrying a wealthy gentleman Ahmed El Sherei

Aziza was able to launch her own film company ‘Isis Film'

As an actress, producer and screenwriter

Aziza Amir was a legend in the land of Egypt.

She was the first woman to produce and appear on screen

In the Egyptian film ‘Laila' in the year Nineteen twenty seven

The film Laila was also regarded as

The ‘First locally funded Egyptian full length feature film'

It became a huge success and inspired others to make films.

Riding on the wave of success

Aziza expanded her career to foreign shores

By acting in the French film The Tunician Girl in 1931

and Turkish film ‘The Streets of Istanbul ‘in 1932.

She also wrote screen plays and

had seventeen writing credits to her name.

Aziza's last film was My Father Deceived Me (1951) , before her death in 1952

Talaat Harb once said, "Aziza Amir has achieved what men have failed to, " for producing a film featuring an entirely Egyptian cast

with appeal to an Egyptian audience.

Aziza used to say ‘I have only one daughter and that is Egyptian Cinema'

And she is truly regarded as the Grandmother of Egyptian Cinema.