Hasan El-Saifi

Hasan El-Saifi (Arabic: حسن الصيفي, romanized: Ḥasan Ṣayfī; 1927–2005) was an Egyptian film director, film producer, and screenplay writer. He worked on nearly 150 Egyptian films.^[1] He has various name spellings in English due to transliteration, most commonly Hassan el-Saifi, Hassan El-Seify, and Hassan al-Saifi.

Hasan El-Saifi
حسن الصيفي
Born	January 13 , 1927 Cairo, Kingdom of Egypt
Died	March 25 , 2005 Cairo, Egypt
Other names	Hassan Al-Saifi, Hassan al-Saifi, Hasan el-Saifi, Hasan El Saifi, Hassan El-Seify, Hassan El Seifi
Occupation(s)	Film director, film producer, screenplay writer
Years active	1946–1995
Spouse(s)	Katie (Egyptian actress) [el; arz] (divorced), Zahret El-Ola
Children	2

Biography

Hasan El-Saifi was born on January 13, 1927, in Cairo, Kingdom of Egypt.^[2]

El-Saifi started his career in film in 1946, by working as an assistant director under Helmy Rafla, and Anwar Wagdi.^[3] By 1952, El-Saifi was able to establish his own film production company.^[3] His first directed film was named, Bear Witness, People (released 20 April 1953 in Egypt).^[3] His most notable film he directed was Samara (1956), starring Taheyya Kariokka and Mohsen Sarhan.^[3]

In the 1970s, he moved to Lebanon (an area later known as Syria) for a few years, where he directed several films.^[3]

He died on March 25, 2005, in Cairo, after suffering from a heart attack.^[3]

Personal life and family

In the 1950s he was married to Egyptian-born Greek actress and dancer Katie (Egyptian actress) [el; arz] (sometimes known as Katie Voutsakis, Kitty or Keti),^[4] which ended in divorce. He later married Egyptian actress Zahret El-Ola, a second marriage for both of them.^[5] Together with Zahret El-Ola they had two children, their daughter Manal El-Saifi is a film director.^[5] Both of his wives starred in his films.

Filmography

• Bear Witness, People (1953; Arabic: اشهدوا يا ناس), as director
• Lady Pickpocket (1953; Arabic: نشالة هانم, romanized: Nachala Hanem), as director^[6]
• Injustice Is Forbidden (1954; Arabic: الظلم حرام, romanized: El Zolm Haram), as director, and screenplay writer^[7]
• Samara (1956; Arabic: سمارة), as director^[3]
• Zannuba [ar] (1956; Arabic: زنوبة), as director
• Touha (1958 film) [ar] (Arabic: توحة), as director
• The Poor Millionaire (1959; Arabic: المليونير الفقير, romanized: Al-Milyunayr Al-Faqir), as director^[8]
• Ismail Yassine in Prison (1961; Arabic: Ismail Yassine Fi El Segn), as director
• The Judge of Love (1962), as director
• The Comic Society for Killing Wives (1962; Arabic: جمعية قتل الزوجات الهزلية, romanized: Gamaeyat Qatl el-Zawgaat el-Hazleya), as director
• The Black Suitcase (1962; Arabic: الحقيبة السوداء, romanized: Al Hakiba Al Souda), as director
• King of Petroleum (1962; Arabic: ملك البترول, romanized: Malik El Petrol), as director
• Fugitive from Marriage (1964; Arabic: هارب من الزواج, romanized: Hareb mn El Zawag)
• The Girl from the Neighborhood [ar] (1964) (Arabic: بنت الحتة, romanized: Bint el hetta), as director^[9]
• The Two Friends (1970; Arabic: الصديقان), as director, and screenplay writer
• Forbidden on Wedding Night (1974; Arabic: ممنوع في ليلة الدخلة, romanized: Mamnou Fi Laylat El-Dokhla)
• Hadi Badi (1984; Arabic: حادي بادي), as director
• Love and Fate (1995; Arabic: الحب نصيب), as director^[10]