Remembering Wahid Hamed on His 81st Birth Anniv.

Egyptian showbiz is commemorating the 81st birthday of Wahid Hamed, a legendary screenwriter and author. 

Born in Sharqia Governorate, Hamed is considered the godfather of realist Egyptian cinema, bringing complex characters to life on screen. He was one of the most successful Egyptian screenwriters, with over 40 films and 30 television series to his name. 

He received his degree in Sociology from Cairo University in the 1960s and later married Zeinab Sweidan, with whom he had a son, Marwan, who became a talented director. His breakthrough came with the film "Dreams of the Fly Boy" in 1978, which marked his successful collaboration with the iconic actor, Adel Emam. Other notable works include "The Innocent" (1985) and "Terrorism and Kebab" (1992). 

Hamed is well-known for his influential films such as "Al-Ghoul" (1983), "El-Le’eb Maa El-Kobar" (1991), "Al-Baree’" (1985), "Toyour El-Zalam" (1995) and the screenplay for "The Yacoubian Building" (2006), directed by his son, Marwan Hamed. Throughout his 50-year career, he gained recognition for his works that focused on local issues and Egyptian society. 

In 2020, Hamed became the first Egyptian screenwriter to receive the Golden Pyramid Award for lifetime achievement in cinema. He was also honored at the Cairo International Film Festival for his significant contributions to the film industry. His works have won numerous awards, including the best screenplay award at the Brussels International Independent Film Festival. Additionally, two of his iconic films were included in the list of the best 100 Egyptian films in the 20th century based on a survey of Egyptian critics.