Mahmoud Zulfikar

Mahmoud Zulfikar (February 18, 1914 – May 22, 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
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. He 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), which Zulfikar also played the lead, plot evolved around the 1948 Palestine War, while Zulfikar played the character of an Egyptian Air Force pilot, whose plane crashes in a Palestinian village, and falls in love with a Palestinian girl which helps him to treat his injuries. Other films include; Amint Bi Allah (1953), El Ard El Tayeba (1954). In 1959, Zulfikar wrote and directed The Unknown Woman, based on the French play Madame X. The film was a huge success and a breakthrough for the lead Shadia in a dramatic role, and It was the highest-grossing film in the Soviet Union for 1961, the only African film to ever achieve that. The 1960 film El Robat el Mukadass was produced by Ezz El-Dine Zulficar Films Company owned by his younger brothers Ezz El-Dine Zulficar and Salah Zulfikar, with the latter starring in the film alongside Sabah and Emad Hamdy.

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. In For Men Only (1964), which Zulfikar co-written and directed, the film discussed gender equality through female gas engineers who disguised in men appearances to go to oil drilling locations which was banned for women. The 1965 romance Dearer than my Life was considered a different genre for Zulfikar while the film achieved critical and commercial success. Other notable films include; Al Khroug Men Al Guana (1967), The Splendor of Love (1968), and Featureless Men (1972) which was released posthumously. As a producer, he established his film production company in early 1940s, produced almost 10 films including; Miss Fatima (1952) and El Ard el Tayeba (1954).

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.

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