Google has doodled yet another significant late Arab personality, which will forever stay alive in its archive of creative and much-anticipated doodles.
Today, March 15, Egyptian film director, screenwriter and costume and set designer Shadi Abdel Salam got his own Google Doodle, in celebration of his 85th birthday.
Born in 1930 in Alexandria - he died on 8 October, 1986 - Salam made a name for himself in Egyptian cinema after graduating from Victoria College in Alexandria, gaining a degree in Theater Arts from England and later in 1955 after graduating from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo as an architect.
The multi-talented artist's jobs included working as an assistant to the artistic architect, Ramsis W. Wassef, 1957, where he was in charge of designing the decorations and costumes of some of the most famous historical Egyptian films including Wa Islamah, Al Nasser Salah Ad-Din and Almaz wa Abdu El Hamouly.
Salam also worked on the Polish film "Pharaoh" - directed by Kavelorovitch - as a historical consultant and supervisor of the decorations, costumes and accessories.
As a film director, Salam directed the long drama film entitled "The Night of Counting the Years" (Al-Momiaa) from 1968 - 1969, and he received many film awards for this work. The short drama film "The Eloquent Peasant" was also directed by him.
Notably, Salam once worked as the Director of the Ministry of Culture Center for experimental films in 1970. He also wrote the scenario of the long drama film entitled "Ikhnatoun" and finalized its relevant designs from 1974 - 1985, according to Wikipedia.
Salam was also a teacher. He has taught at the Cinema Higher Institute of Egypt in the Departments of Decorations, Costumes and Film Direction from 1963 - 1969.
28 years after his death, Salam is still remembered as a "legend and a genius" by fellow filmmakers, while one of his many students said his tutor was "compassionate, approachable and affectionate," according to El Fagr news.
By Arwad Khalifeh
