Abdel Rahman Abou Zahra Stirs Controversy

Veteran Egyptian actor Abdel Rahman Abou Zahra stirred controversy Tuesday on social media, after altering a verse in a poem by late Egyptian poet, Ahmed Shawky.

The 5th Actors' Syndicate Theatrical Festival, headed by Ashraf Zaki, kicked off Monday evening in Cairo. The opening ceremony witnessed the honoring of Abou Zahra.

Abou Zahra stated that  acting  is one of the most generous, greatest, and most honorable careers.

He surprised the attendees with his speech as he altered Shawky’s verse, and saying: “Stand up in respect for an actor, as an actor's status is almost as high as that of a messenger,".

The original verse is dedicated to honoring the teacher, who says: "Stand up in respect for a teacher, as a teacher's status is almost as high as that of a messenger.".

Abou Zahra's voiced-over film, ''The Knight and The Princess'' had its world premiere at the 3rd edition of GFF, which took place from September 19 to 27, 2019.

The film is Egypt and Saudi Arabia’s first animated feature-length film. It was inspired by a real 7th-century Arab warrior, the plot follows young adventurer Muhammad bin Qasim but with a fictional twist.

''The Knight and The Princess'' see Qasim, at the age of 15, taking upon himself to save women and children abducted by pirates in the Indian sea. The film delves into the exciting experiences that helped shape the great leader he would later become.

It is written and directed by Bashir El Deek. The character designs were created by the late Mustafa Hussein.

The film also features voices from a fine cast that includes a notable group of stars such as Mohamed Henedy, Donia Samir Ghanem, Medhat Saleh, Maged El Kedwany, Lekaa Elkhamissi; along with acting legends like Abla Kamel, Abdel Rahman Abou Zahra, the late Amina Rizk, and the late Saeed Saleh.