• Arafa said Ahmed Zaki was not an ideal father in real life, but portrayed fatherhood masterfully on screen
• The film helped launch a new generation of stars, including Mona Zaki and Karim Abdel Aziz

Egyptian director Sherif Arafa discussed his iconic social film “Adhak El-Soura Tetal’a Helwa” (1998) during a talk at the El Gouna Film Festival

The movie, which starred the late Ahmed Zaki, was made as a lighthearted project to bring smiles to audiences after a series of serious and heavy films like “Toyour El-Zalam”

Arafa explained that the film’s concept was developed in collaboration with the late writer Waheed Hamed, resulting in one of the most notable social films in Egyptian cinema history

He also revealed a personal aspect of Ahmed Zaki’s life, noting that while Zaki was not an ideal father in real life, he delivered a deeply moving performance on screen in a scene where he bids farewell to his daughter as she heads to medical school

Arafa said he was genuinely impressed by Zaki’s authentic and heartfelt portrayal

He further highlighted that the film served as a launchpad for a new generation of stars, including Mona Zaki in her early career and Karim Abdel Aziz, whose exceptional talent Arafa recognized from his first appearance as an assistant director