{{Short description|Egyptian actress (1901–1983)}} {{Infobox person | image = Bahiga Hafez.jpg | name = Bahiga Hafez | birth_date = {{birth date|1908|8|4}} | birth_place = Alexandria, Khedivate of Egypt | death_date = {{death date and age|1983|12|13|1908|8|4}} | death_place = Cairo, Egypt | occupation = Actress, Composer, Director, Editor, Producer, Screenwriter | years_active = 1930s–1940s, 1966 }}
'''Bahiga Hafez''' ({{langx|ar|بهيجة حافظ}}, 13 December 1908 – 4 August 1983)<ref>{{Cite thesis|url=http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/251/1/uk_bl_ethos_436769.pdf|title=The Plight of Women in Egyptian Cinema 1940s 1960s|last=Farrugia|first=Marisa|date=September 2002|website=White Rose eTheses Online|publisher=University of Leeds|page=107|access-date=}}</ref> was an Egyptian screenwriter, composer, director, editor, producer and actress.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/News/4786/23/Studio-Misr,-etc.aspx|title=Studio Misr, etc|website=weekly.ahram.org.eg|access-date=2016-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315114127/http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/News/4786/23/Studio-Misr,-etc.aspx|archive-date=2016-03-15|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.highbrowmagazine.com/2790-women-s-films-and-social-change|title=Women's Films and Social Change|website=highbrowmagazine.com|access-date=2016-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201073625/http://www.highbrowmagazine.com/2790-women-s-films-and-social-change|archive-date=2017-12-01|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/article/heroines-of-cinema-9-things-we-could-learn-from-taking-a-global-perspective-on-women-directors-20140626|title=Heroines of Cinema: 9 Things We Could Learn From Taking a Global Perspective on Women Directors|last=Knott|first=Matthew Hammett|website=Indiewire|date=26 June 2014 |access-date=2016-03-15}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X6-EAgAAQBAJ&dq=bahiga%2520hafez%2520screenwriter&pg=PT157|title=Companion Encyclopedia of Middle Eastern and North African Film|last=Leaman|first=Oliver|date=2003-12-16|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781134662517|language=en|page=157}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yv1BH5Wz-ekC&dq=Fanar%2520Films&pg=PA29|title=Encyclopedia of Arab Women Filmmakers|last=Hillauer|first=Rebecca|date=2005-01-01|publisher=American University in Cairo Press|isbn=9789774249433|page=29|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Hottell">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bmm1kGREKkwC|title=Noteworthy Francophone Women Directors: A Sequel|last1=Hottell|first1=Ruth A.|last2=Pallister|first2=Janis L.|date=2011-09-16|publisher=Lexington Books|isbn=9781611474442|language=en|page=59}}</ref><ref name=":3" />
== Personal life == Bahiga Hafez was born and raised in Alexandria, Egypt to an aristocratic family with ties to monarchy.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5" /> Hafez began studying music in Cairo and later went on to study musical composition in Paris, studying piano at the conservatory.<ref name=":2"/><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sis.gov.eg/Fr/Templates/Articles/tmpArticles.aspx?ArtID=890#.VrEo-lMrLPA|title=SIS Bahiga Hafez|website=sis.gov.eg|access-date=2016-03-15}}</ref> Hafez could speak French, Arabic, and other languages.<ref name="Hottell" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5" /> Hafez was a Pacha heiress.<ref name="Hottell" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.medmem.eu/en/notice/ERU00080|title=In front of the Mirror: the filmmaker Bahiga Hafez|author=<!--staff writer-->|publisher=Institut National de l'Audiovisuel|website=medmem.eu|access-date=2016-03-15|archive-date=2016-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315100300/http://www.medmem.eu/en/notice/ERU00080|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite web|url=http://www.bibalex.org/alexcinema/actors/Bahiga_Hafez.html|title=Bahiga Hafez|publisher=AlexCinema|website=bibalex.org|access-date=2016-03-15}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kGikCgAAQBAJ|title=Women Screenwriters: An International Guide|last1=Nelmes|first1=Jill|last2=Selbo|first2=Jule|date=2015-09-29|publisher=Springer|isbn=9781137312372|language=en|pages=11, 15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9PfyAAAAMAAJ|title=This Film is Dangerous: A Celebration of Nitrate Film|last=Smither|first=Roger B. N.|date=2002-01-01|publisher=Federation Internationale des Archives du Film (FIAF)|isbn=9782960029604|language=en|page=}}{{page needed|date=November 2024}}</ref>
After returning to Egypt, she lived in Cairo where she held literary salons.<ref name=":2"/> Also upon her return to Egypt, Hafez released an album entitled ''Bahiga'' that played on the radio broadcast of the time.<ref name=":3" />
In 1930, she starred in the film ''Zeinab'' (1930). This caused her family to disinherit her, since working in cinema was seen as shameful at the time, especially for someone of her social status.<ref name="Hottell" />
==Career== Hafez is often cited as being one of the pioneering women in Egyptian cinema.<ref name=":4" /> She started her career in film as an actress, starring in the silent film ''Zaynab'' (1930), directed by Mohammed Karim,<ref name=":0" /><ref name="Hottell" /> which she also composed the score for.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":5" /> Karim had been searching for a particularly feminine face for the title role, and after meeting Hafez at a party, offered her the role.<ref name=":3" /> The film itself was quite popular.<ref name=":3" /> Her involvement in this project sparked her interest in working in film. [[File:Bahiga Hafez in ‘Zeinab’ 1930.jpg|thumb|Bahiga Hafez in ''Zaynab'' (1930)|227x227px]]Hafez founded the company Fanar Films in 1932.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{cite book|title=Women and Film|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HdMbAQAAIAAJ|year=1973|publisher=Women & Film.|page=90}}</ref><ref name=":6" /> With Fanar Films, Hafez co-directed the film ''al-Dahaya'' (1932), called ''The Victims'' in English, in which she also played a major role. She was also the costume designer, composer and editor for the film.<ref name=":8" /> She remade the film 3 years later with sound.<ref name=":2" /> Hafez's first solo directed film was ''Laila bint al-sahara'' (Laila the Desert Girl), 1937 (Alternative title: ''Laila bint al-Badawiyya''<ref name=":2" />), but was not released until 1944 with a new title, ''Layla al-Badawiyya'' (Layla the Bedouin). Hafez worked as director, producer (with Fanar Films), co-screenwriter, composer, and lead actress.<ref name=":1" /> The film was to be premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 1938 but was banned from playing in Egypt due to its negative depictions of Persians, especially Persian royalty; it was to be released the same year in Egypt as the wedding of the Shah of Persia and the Princess Fawzia of Egypt.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=88sTRTl6yKwC|title=Dictionary of African Filmmakers|last=Armes|first=Roy|date=2008-01-01|publisher=Indiana University Press|isbn=978-0253351166|language=en|page=72}}</ref><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":6">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jQzdCQAAQBAJ|title=Writing Beirut: Mappings of the City in the Modern Arabic Novel|last=Aghacy|first=Samira|date=2015-03-01|publisher=Edinburgh University Press|isbn=9781474403467|language=en}}{{page needed|date=November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-2ekCgAAQBAJ&dq=Bahiga%2520Hafez&pg=PT29|title=Women Screenwriters: An International Guide|last1=Nelmes|first1=Jill|last2=Selbo|first2=Jule|date=2015-09-29|publisher=Springer|isbn=9781137312372|language=en|page=29}}</ref> Unfortunately, the film wasn't very successful.<ref name=":8" />
After not working in film for quite some time, Hafez was asked by director Salah Abou Seif to star as one of the Princesses in his film ''el Qâhirah talâtîn'' (1966). This marked Hafez's return to cinema, but also her last appearance.<ref name=":8" /> Unfortunately, much of her work as a filmmaker has been lost and only the mentions of her work remains.<ref name=":7" /> A copy of her film ''al-Dahaya'' was found in 1995.<ref name=":2" />
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" !Year !Title !English title !Credit !Notes |- |1930 |''Zaynab'' | |Actress, composer |Hafez's first acting role |- |1932 |''al-Dahaya'' |The Victims<ref name=":8" /> |Actress, co-director, costume designer, editor, producer |Silent Film - directed by Ibrahim Lama<ref name=":5" /> |- |1934 |''el Ittihâm'' |The Accusation<ref name=":8" /> |Actress, producer |Directed by Mario Volpi<ref name=":8" /> |- |1935 |''al-Dahaya'' |The Victims |Actress, director, producer |Remake of the 1932 film with sound |- |1937 |''Laila bint al-sahara'' |Laila the Desert Girl |Actress, composer, co-screenwriter, director, producer |Alternative titles: ''Laila bint al-Badawiyya'' |- |1944 |''Layla al-Badawiyya'' |Layla the Bedouin |Actress, composer, co-screenwriter, director, producer |Re-release of the original movie |- |1947 |''Zahra'' | |Actress,<ref name=":5" /> producer |<ref name=":3" /> Alternate title: Zohra<ref name=":5" /> |- |1966 |''el Qâhirah talâtîn'' |Cairo 30<ref name=":8" /> |Actress |Directed by Salah Abou Seif |}
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hafez, Bahiga}} Category:Egyptian directors Category:Egyptian composers Category:Egyptian women screenwriters Category:Egyptian women composers Category:Egyptian producers Category:Egyptian actresses Category:1908 births Category:1983 deaths Category:Egyptian women film directors Category:Egyptian film directors Category:Actresses from Alexandria Category:20th-century Egyptian screenwriters