Khaled Youssef
Khaled Youssef (Arabic: خالد يوسف), is an Egyptian director and film writer. His films are noted for their use of improvisation and a realistic cinéma vérité style. Khaled Youssef, who has established a solid reputation as a successful filmmaker who does not shy away from controversial issues such as rape, political corruption and homosexuality. Despite attacks that he is promoting immorality, Youssef fights against the values he believes are holding Egyptian society back.
Biography
- One of the outstanding leaders of the students' movement in eighties.
- Head of Students' Union - Zagazig University – Banha Branch, 1988-1989.
- Obtained Bachelor of Engineering, Department of Electronic and Electrical communication Engineering in 1990.
- Head of the Film Commission, the Supreme Council of Culture in 2012.
- Member of the 50-Member Committee for drafting Egypt's Constitution in 2013
- Participation in students' activities launched relationship between the Director and senior politicians, cultured and creative characters in Egypt, such as Youssef Shahin who advised him to work in cinema when he felt that he enjoys talent. Therefore, he offered him to know about cinema world through participation in short narrative documentary film "Al Kahira Monwara Beahliha" when an acting personality embodiment was entrusted to him, in addition to training on directing. He quickly discovered his being attracted to direction, so he joined Youssef Shahin scholars.
- In 1992, he became co-director to Youssef Shahin in "Al Muhajer" Film. He participated in writing the film's scenario and dialogue together with others. This is highly reflected in the next films, particularly when became the excusive director of "Al Maseer", "Al Akhar", and "Alexandria New York " that he assisted Youssef Shahin in writing the story, scenario and dialogue for these films.
- In 2000, he authored and directed his first film "Al Asifa", and he obtained the grand prize of International Arbitration Committee in Cairo International Cinema Festival (Silver Pyramid), and the reward of Best Arabic Film, in addition to the reward of best director (Top Work) in the National Festival of the Egyptian Cinema. He participated in many international festivals, such as San Francesco Festival in USA.
- In 2001, he directed his second Film "Gwaz Biqarar Gomhoury", and he obtained the reward of best director (Top Work) in the National Festival of the Egyptian Cinema.
- In 2004, he directed "Enta Omry" Film, and represented Egypt in Cairo International Cinema Festival. The film obtained the reward of the Best Actress.
- In 2005-2006, he presented "Weja" and "Khiana Mshroua" Movies that were authored and directed by him. Those two films reflected the extent audience response to his movies.
- In 2007, he participated Director Youssef Shahin in directing "Heya Fawda" Movie, which constituted a rare precedent in the history of the Egyptian cinema. This film represented Egypt in the official contest of Venice International Cinema Festival.
- In the same year (2007), he presented his Movie "Hena Mysara", which sparked controversy not only in Egypt, but also worldwide as it was widely successful at the both criticism and audience admiration levels. The movie gained the most prizes of National Festival of Egyptian Cinema, such as the Best Movie Prize, the Best Director, the Best decoration, and the Best Drama.
- In 2008, he presented "Al Rayis Omar Harb" Movie, and obtained the prize of the Best Director of the National Festival of Egyptian Cinema for the second year respectively.
- In 2009, he presented his ninth Movie "Dokan Shehata" after he became one of the most prominent directors of Arab Cinema, and the most famous one due to the issues tackled by such movies that deserve discussion through cinematic style distinguished by suspension, accompanied with dramatic storyline and excellence of outstanding style presented through visual narration.
- In 2010, he presented his tenth Movie "Kalemni Shokan", through which he presented his own vision regarding the effect of communication revolution on changing the values and traditions believes in Arab community. During the same year, he directed his eleventh Movie "Kaf El Qamar", but he was able to screen it only by the end of 2011 due to the circumstances of 25 January Revolution.
- "Heya Fawda" , "Hena Maysara" and "Dokan Shehata" trilogies are considered to be among the movies that contributed highly in disclosing the volume of deteriorating indeed the very bad facts, including of poverty, oppression and injustice witnessed by Egyptians the matter that rooted the spirit of rebellion of rebellion which led to 25 January Revolution. In the second revolution of the Egyptian people against Brotherhood Rule, on 30 June; he was chosen by the Armed Forces to photographing this scene from military aircraft. He was the only cinema director who photographing this scene, and made this flight on the military aircraft photographing the most prominent places in Egypt occupied by largest number of demonstrators in the history. These graphic scenes have much effect in convincing the world that 30 June was a people's revolution and not a military coup as alleged by Muslim Brotherhood.
- According to Dubai International Film Festival 2013 two of khaled youssef movies " heya fawda " and "Hena Mysara" were in the list of the “100 Best Arab Films of All Times”
Early life
He was born in a village in Delta Egypt (Kafr Shokr) in 1964 to a father who served as mayor, in addition to being the secretary of Socialist Union at Kafr Shokr (the only political organization founded during the rule of President /Gamal Abdelnasser). His father breaded him culturally upbringing with social and political dimensions because of the bias of the father to the ideas of Arab Socialism (Nasserism). His father's relationship with Khalid Mohi Eldin, the member of 23rd Revolution Leadership Council, and one of the main symbols of the leftism and socialism in the Arab world impacted him remarkably in his youth to make him familiar with the outlets of extensive knowledge and considerable experience added to him and contributed to formation of consciousness.
Career
Acting
- Al Kahira Monwara Beahliha (1991) - The role of the unemployed
- Gwaz Biqarar Gomhour (2001) - The role of the director
- Enta Omri (2004) - The role of Dean of the College
- Ouija (2005) - The role of assistant director
- Khyiana Mshroa (2006) The role of Kamal Hanna
Authoring
- Al Muhajer - (participated in the scenario with others)
- Al Maseer - screenplay and dialogue with Youssef Shahine
- El Akhar - scenario and dialogue with Youssef Shahine
- El Assifa - Author (story and screenplay and dialogue)
- Gwaz Biqarar Gomhoury – (dramatic vision)
- Ouija - Author (story and screenplay and dialogue)
- Khyiana Mshroa - author (story and screenplay and dialogue)
- Hena Maysara - screenplay and dialogue with Nasser Abdul Rahman
- Kaf El Kammar - screenplay and dialogue with Nasser Abdul Rahman
Directing
- 1994 “Al Muhajer” film by Youssef Shahine (assistant director)
- 1995 Short film " Lumiere brothers" by Youssef Shahine (executive director)
- 1996 “Fate” film by Youssef Shahine (executive director)
- 1997 Short film " Kolaha khatwa" by Youssef Shahine (executive director)
- 1998 “The Other” film by Youssef Shahine (executive director)
- 2000 “Storm” (director)
- 2001 “Marriage by a presidential decree” (director)
- 2002 “Alexandria New York” film (executive director)
- 2004 “Enta Omri” (director)
- 2005 “Ouija” (director)
- 2006 “ Khyiana Mshroa ” (director)
- 2007 “ Heya fawda? ” (director)
- 2007 “Hena Maysara” (director)
- 2008 “Rayes Omar Harb” (director)
- 2009 “ Dokan Shehata”(director)
- 2010 “Kalemni Shokran” (director)
- 2011 “Kaf el Kamar” (director)
Personal Life
Married from Saudi Formative Artist Shalimar Sharbatly.
Political views
He was one of the prominent leaders of the student movement in the eighties and elected to be the head of the Students' Union in his college (College of Engineering in Shubra), then (Zagazig University - Banha Branch). He participated the Egyptian Universities Students Union and activists student in the establishment of an effective student movement confronted against the social and political practices of Mubarak regime. He led many demonstrations and student sit-ins that led to the issuance of a decision of detaining him several times. After his graduating in 1990, he joined the cinema and continued his role in opposition to the Mubarak regime among the national forces and movements, as well as political parties, which played an important role in the biasness to the national issues, such as the effective solidarity with the Palestinian People in their response to the continuous Israeli aggression or oppressor American Siege to the Iraqi people. When the Egyptian political system started to follow the policies that enriched the wealthy and impoverished the poor and wasted freedoms, he was in the forefront with other national forces in coping that. He was protected from the oppression of the regime because of being an artist as arresting him will be an international scandal of the regime. When he began his film career making movies bearing his signature wholly biased for the poor and the marginalized scandalous to their suffering in a manner that reflect the dishonoring of freedoms and human dignity. These movies revived the spirit of rebellion and revolution in the hearts of the Egyptians and even foresaw and predicted the revolution that occurred after more than three years in all scenes, as it was difficult to differentiate between what made by movies before and what made by Egyptians aft in 25 January Revolution. When the spark of 25 January let, he was already at the forefront of the ranks of the demonstrators and one of the most insistent that the revolution must prevail and when some people exploited the absence of the police during these events, and tried to rob the Egyptian Museum, he moved in minutes calling the Egyptian people via the internet to hurry up to the museum to protect it. This has impact in the hearts of Egyptians who flocked by the thousands and were able to protect the museum from looting, which would affect the most important monuments in human civilization and remained in the field with millions of Egyptians till Mubarak was ousted. He kept sticking to the achievement of the objectives of the revolution, when Muslim Brotherhood regime undertook offices of Egypt, he continued his role in exposing that regime, which is one of the enemies of the revolution and predicted falling in less than a year and remained adamant on this as promoter in all forums and has his share of their criminal attacks in front of Media Production City that his car was crashed and his life was hardly saved but this did not deter him from continuing to struggle against them. And when it was appointed as a Minister of Culture belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood movement he planned with few guys in occupying the ministry and sitting out to prevent the minister from entering the ministry so as not trying to affect the culture of the Egyptian identity and the minister was already prevented from entering the ministry for more than a month after occupying and protesting at the headquarters of the ministry, until 30th came June and he joined with all the protestors in the ministry the masses of the Egyptian people's revolution, which displaced the system Brotherhood When Egyptians began to draw a map of their future beginning with drafting a new constitution for the country he was chosen within fifty Egyptians for its drafting and this constitution has already been made, which was approved by the Egyptians overwhelmingly and when the presidential election started he was chosen by Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi within the Advisory Committee with four of National statures In the third maturity of Egyptians map which is parliamentary elections he proceeded to run as a member of the House of Representatives for the constituency of his hometown (Kafr Shukr)