By Mohammed Al Baali
Albawaba.com - Cairo
A number of young Egyptian actors have recently appeared on the big screen. Some of these have become stars very quickly, while others have quietly captivated the audience.
The latter group includes Ahmed Eid, who shone in the films Short Wa Fanillah Wa Cab (Short, Undershirt and Gown) and Film Thaqafi (Cultural Film), for which he won a prize, and Africano.
In an interview with Albawaba.com, Ahmed Eid said, “Africano has simply familiarized the audience with my name and given them the idea that my appearance on the screen will make them laugh, so they wait for me to appear. I think it will be a new beginning for me, as eight directors have contacted me requesting my participation in cinema performances after seeing my role in Africano. This alone is a very positive indicator.”
Eid added, “Film Thaqafi is a good film, through which I got a prize for the best actor in a poll organized by the Egyptian Rose Al Yousef magazine for 2000.The director of the film, Mohammed Amin, is a good director who made a film for the sake of art rather than the box office. Because I like cinema, I like to perform in such films even if nobody watches them.”
Regarding his next projects, Eid said, “Me, Ahmed Al Saqqa and Africano director Amr Arafah are currently embarking on a new work of art. The final features of this work have not yet taken shape, in view of the fact that I am seeking a new project that will offer new ideas.”
Apart from the cinema, Eid said, “I like freedom very much and I hate to be put under pressure, even if it will lead to fame or wealth. I hope I will be able to organize my steps to continue with my success, because I believe success is not related to talent as much as it is related to intelligence in art.”
Eid admits that luck plays a big role in the life of the artist, and that the Egyptian cinema is currently a purely commercial industry.
But the actor, he says, is not responsible for that, adding: “I like surrealistic art and dream of Palestine liberation, but what I offer in the movies is something different. This is due to the fact that there are control measures that govern what is offered in the cinema.”
“I dream of new quality films that diverge from obsolete styles. This won’t be achieved without taking many steps, the most important of which is changing the mentality of the audience and those monopolizing the Egyptian cinema.”
