Mahmoud Zulfikar

Mahmoud Zulfikar
Mahmoud Qasdy Ahmed Mourad Zulfikar (18 February 1914 – 22 May 1970) was an Egyptian film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He was a major figure in Egyptian film industry.
He started his career as an architect, before becoming an actor in 1939. Zulfikar was one of the most prominent artists in Egyptian cinema, he was known for his boldness and adventure with the new talents he presented to the Egyptian audience, later, he was nicknamed the "Talent Finder". Zulfikar was able to go beyond the limits of the film location with accurate calculations and through his imaginations, he could make his scripts alive. This earned him in Egypt the nickname of "The Event Maker".
Early life
Mahmoud Qasdy Ahmed Mourad Zulfikar was born on February 18, 1914, in Tanta, Egypt. His father, Ahmed Mourad Bek Zulfikar, served as a senior police commissioner in the Ministry of Interior and his mother Nabila hanem Zulfikar was a housewife. He was the fourth among eight siblings. His brother Mohamed who would grow up to be a businessman, Soad, Fekreya, Ezz El-Dine who would grow up to be a famous filmmaker. They were followed by brothers Kamal, Salah, the famous actor and producer and finally Mamdouh who would grow up to be a businessman.
Career
Mahmoud Zulfikar graduated from faculty of engineering and worked as an architect in the Design Department at the Ministry of Works, but his passion for movie business encouraged him to make a career shift and become a filmmaker. He was an actor, film producer, screenwriter, and film director.
Zulfikar was a comprehensive artist. He is one of the most talented filmmakers in the history of Egyptian cinema. He started as an actor in 1939, and directed 44 films between 1947 and 1970. Zulfikar's films have been nominated for numerous awards both nationally and internationally. As an actor, his film debut was in Bayayet El Tiffah (1939). He starred in multiple commercial hits mostly as a director as well, including; Ibn El-balad (1942), El-Feloos (1945), Fauq Al Sahab (1947), Al lailu lana (1949), Akhlaq lil baye (1950), Qamar Arba'tashar (1950), and My Father Deceived Me (1951).
Zulfikar's notable films as a writer, director included; A Girl from Palestine (1948), Amint Bi Allah (1953), El Ard El Tayeba (1954), The Unknown Woman (1959), El Robat el Mukadass (1960), For Men Only (1964), Dearer than my Life (1965), Al Khroug Men Al Guana (1967), The Splendor of Love (1968), and Featureless Men (1972) which was released posthumously. Zulfikar's 1963 film Soft Hands was entered into the 14th Berlin International Film Festival and he was nominated for Silver Bear for Best Director. As a producer, he established his film production company in early 1940s, produced almost 10 films including Miss Fatima (1952).
Personal life
Zulfikar married actress Aziza Amir, and together they made a successful duo. After her death he married Mariam Fakhreddine in 1952 and presented her to film industry, she became a famous actress in 1950s. They had one daughter, Iman. He's the elder brother of Ezz El-Dine, film director and producer, and Salah, actor and producer.
Zulfikar died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 56 on May 22, 1970, in Cairo, Egypt.
Filmography
Director
1947 Hedeya
1948 Fatat men Falastin
1948 Fauq al sahab
1949 Al lailu lana
1950 Virtue for Sale
1951 Kisma wa nassib
1951 Khadaini abi
1953 Amint bi Allah
1953 Ghaltat el umr
1954 Bint el jiran
1954 El Ard el Tayeba
1954 The Neighbor's Daughter
1955 Rannet el kholkhal
1957 Rihlah Gharamiyyah
1958 Shabab el-Yom
1959 Forbidden Women
1959 Touba
1959 The Unknown Woman
1960 El Imlak
1960 El Robat el Muqadass
1961 El Morahek el Kabir
1961 El Hub Keda
1961 La Tazkorini
1961 Mawad maal Maadi
1962 Bala Demoue
1963 Imra'a fi dawama
1963 El Motamarreda
1963 Soft Hands
1964 Sanawat el hub
1964 Thaman el hub
1965 Aghla min hayati
1965 Lel Regal Fakat
1966 El Moraheka el Saghira
1966 El Talata yuhebbunaha
1966 Adou el Mara'a
1967 Agazat Gharam
1967 Al Koubla al Akhira
1967 El Khouroug min el Guana
1967 Nora
1968 Hekayet thalass banat
1968 Thalath Nessa
1968 The Splendor of Love
1969 Girls' Secrets
1969 Fatat El Esste'rad
1970 Borj El-Athraa
1970 Imra'at Zawgy
1972 Regal bila Malameh
Writer
1944 Taqiyyat al Ikhfa (screenplay)
1945 Ibnati (story)
1945 El Feloos
1947 Fauq el sahab (script)
1951 Khadaini abi (story & screenplay)
1954 El Ard el Tayeba (story)
1958 Shabab el-Yom (Writer)
1963 Imra'a fi dawama
1964 Thaman el hub (writer)
Producer
1944 Hababa
1945 El-Bani Adam
1946 Shama'a Tahtareq
1947 Hedeya
1948 Fauq el sahab
1951 Khadaini abi
1952 El-Ustazah Fatmah
1954 El Ard el Tayeba
Actor
1939 Bayayet El Tiffah
1940 El awda il al rif
1941 El Warsha
1942 Masnaa el zawjate
1942 Ibn El-balad
1942 Wedding Night
1943 Wadi el Nogoom
1945 Al-Anissa Busa
1945 Al-Fulus
1945 Ibnati
1947 Hadaya
1947 Fauq el sahab
1948 Fatat men Falastin
1949 Afrah
1949 Nadia
1949 Al lailu lana
1950 Ayni bi-triff
1950 Akhlaq lel-Bai
1950 Qamar Arba'tashar
1951 Khadaini abi
1953 El shak el katel
1955 Assafir el Ganna
1957 Hareb minel hub
1968 El-Sit el-Nazra
See also
List of film directors
Lists of Egyptian films
References
External links
Mahmoud Zulfikar at elCinema
1914 births
1970 deaths
Egyptian film directors
Egyptian male film actors
Egyptian screenwriters
Egyptian film producers
People from Tanta
20th-century Egyptian male actors
20th-century screenwriters