A legacy to remember: Father of Egyptian cinematic realism Salah Abu-Seif

Al-Ahram Weekly

6 days ago

The late renowned filmmaker Salah Abu-Seif, one of Egypt's most profound voices, had directed more than 40 films over nearly five decades, firmly establishing himself as the father of Egyptian cinematic realism.
Abu-Seif's career shaped Egypt's cinematic landscape and gave the lower and middle classes a long-overdue place on the silver screen.
Born on 10 May 1915 in the working-class Cairo district of Boulaq, Abu-Seif was no stranger to hardship. This background informed his lifelong commitment to portraying social realities.
His journey into cinema began unconventionally. He worked in a textile company until his broad knowledge of film caught the attention of a visiting director.
Soon after, he joined Studio Misr, where he worked first as an accountant and then as a film editor for a decade.
He also directed several documentaries and released his debut feature, Always in My Heart, in 1946.
Initially, Abu-Seif experimented with various genres: romance, historical epics, light comedies, and Bedouin dramas.
A turning point came with The Falcon (1950), which was partly filmed in Italy. There, he encountered Italian neorealism, which deeply impacted his cinematic language.
Upon returning to Egypt, he became more resolute in creating films that reflected society's real struggles. His 1952 film The Foreman Hassan (El-Osta Hassan) is widely considered his first true realist masterpiece, marking the start of his mature phase.
From 1952 until the 1967 defeat, Abu-Seif directed 20 major works that dissected Egypt's social and political fabric.
During this period, he directed 20 films, starting with Raya and Sakina (1953) and ending with his memorable A Woman's Youth (1956), Between Heaven and Earth (1960), Don't Put Out the Sun (1961), Not Time for Love (1963), etc.
His films tackled a wide range of issues: The Monster (1954) examined crime and poverty; The Strong Man (1957) explored the merger of money and power; Cairo 30 (1966) critiqued pre-revolutionary political corruption; The Second Wife (1967) and I Am Free (1959) addressed the intersection of gender, oppression, and personal agency.
His narratives often linked sexuality and class struggle, showing how those in power usually exploited the vulnerable, most poignantly portrayed in characters played by Soad Hosny, who either succumbed to or defied the patriarchal forces around them.
"Salah Abu-Seif was, like many others, devastated by the 1967 defeat, and this impact is quite evident in the quantity and quality of his output thereafter. During the following 22 years, he directed only 12 films, including two parts in two films, Three Women (1969) and First Year of Love (1976), and a remake of his own film You Get Your Deserve, in colour under the title The Criminal (1978), and a TV film, Mr Dog (1994). The best of these films weren't close to his previous masterpieces. He was living on past glories while new and promising directors began to emerge," Ashraf Gharib wrote.
Critics lauded Abu-Seif not just for his themes but for his craft. He innovated editing techniques to draw symbolic parallels — for example, cutting between a poor home and a wealthy one by showing the same household objects in each.
This visual storytelling, influenced by Soviet montage theory, deepened the viewer's understanding of Egypt's class divide.
Though revered, Abu-Seif often encountered difficulties with Egypt's censors. His film The Trial 68 (Al-Qadia 68), which delved into post-1967 national trauma, was banned until it gained international acclaim.
At its premiere, he and his son were physically assaulted — an incident underscoring the political risks embedded in his work.
Internationally, his voice did not go unnoticed. His films The Monster (El-Wahsh, 1954) and The Leech (Shabab Emaraa, 1956) were screened at Cannes, while The Adventures of Antar and Abla (Mughamarat Antar wa Abla, 1948) entered the festival's competition in 1949.
He also participated in Venice and Berlinale, positioning Egyptian cinema globally.
Beyond directing, Abu-Seif had an indelible impact as a mentor and screenwriter.
He believed a script was the backbone of a film — reportedly writing 300 scenes for some projects before editing them.
He collaborated with iconic novelists like Naguib Mahfouz and Ihsan Abdel-Quddous, bringing Egyptian literature vividly to life.
Directors such as Atef El-Tayyeb, Mohamed Khan, and Dawood Abdel-Sayed count him among their key inspirations.
In tribute, El-Tayyeb named the protagonist of The Bus Driver (Sawaq El-Autobees, 1988) after Abu-Seif's character of Hassan from The Foreman Hassan (El-Osta Hassan).
Though his later works never reached the acclaim of his mid-century triumphs, films like The Beginning (1986) and The Water Carrier (1977) still revealed flashes of brilliance.
In his twilight years, he was often seen as a master reflecting on a changing world, as younger directors stepped into the spotlight he had helped create.
Nearly three decades since his passing on 22 June 1996 (some international sources list 23 June), Salah Abu-Seif's legacy lives on — not only in the countless directors he influenced but also in the enduring relevance of his films, which continue to hold a mirror to Egyptian society.
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