Halim (2006)
Directed by Sherif Arafa
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Synopsis by Mark Deming
The life of one of Egypt's biggest singing stars comes to the screen in this biopic. Abdel Halim Hafez (Ahmed Zaki) arrives at a radio station to give an interview to a journalist, and while Halim is seriously ill, he regales his host with the details of his wildly eventful life. Despite losing his parents at a young age and growing up in an orphanage, Halim came of age with an unshakable faith in his musical talent, and was determined to overcome any obstacles to achieve success. In time, Halim becomes a beloved singer and a major film star, and included Gamal Nasser and Anwar Sadat among his fans. However, along with success comes tragedy, as Halim experiences romantic disappointments and failing health, succumbing to cancer at the age of 58. In a tragic coincidence, shortly after work on Halim was completed, leading man Ahmed Zaki was felled by cancer, much like the character he played in the film.