Magda el-Sabahi

Magda el-Sabbahi, commonly known as Magda,(ماجده; 6 May 1931 – 16 January 2020) was an Egyptian film actress notable for her roles from 1949 to 1994.

Life and career
Afaf Ali Kamel Sabbahi was born on 6 May 1931 in Tanta, Gharbia Governorate. She was one of the greatest stars of Egyptian cinema, taking the lead role in sixty films. For her film career she took the stage name of Magda.



In 1956, Magda founded her own film production company. In 1958, she played the lead role in the film by Youssef Chahine, Jamila al Jaza'iriya (Jamila, the Algerian) opposite Salah Zulfikar and Ahmed Mazhar, the film was based on the story of Djamila Bouhired.

In 1963, she married the Egyptian intelligence officer and actor, Ihab Nafe, with whom she had her only daughter, Ghada, in 1965.



In 1968, she starred in a film by Kamal El Sheikh, El Ragol El-lazi fakad Zilloh (The Man Who Lost His Shadow) opposite Salah Zulfikar and Kamal El-Shennawi, the film was based on Fathy Ghanem's novel of the same name.

In 1995, Magda was elected president of the Egyptian Women in Film Association.

Magda Sabbahi died in her house in Dokki, Cairo, on 16 January 2020, aged 88.

Selected filmography

 * 1949, El Naseh
 * 1954, Injustice Is Forbidden
 * 1954, Miss Hanafi
 * 1955, Allah maana
 * 1957, Ayna Omri
 * 1958, Gamila l'Algérienne
 * 1960, Qays wa Laila
 * 1961, El Morahekat
 * 1962, Agazet Noss el Sana
 * 1963, The Naked Truth
 * 1964, Bayya'et el Garayed
 * 1966, The Yemeni Revolution
 * 1968, The Man Who Lost His Shadow
 * 1975, El Naddaha
 * 1978, EL Omr Lahzah