Friday 06/February/2026 – 03:51 PM
Gabi and Marianne Khoury talked about hidden aspects of the life of their uncle Youssef Chahine, in a special episode of the program “With You, Mona El Shazly”, with the journalist Mona El Shazly, broadcast on ON, in celebration of the centenary of the late director.
Regarding Youssef Chahine’s love for Faten Hamama, Marianne Khoury said: He was going to commit suicide because of her, and Gabi Khoury explained: He tried to commit suicide because she went to Omar Sharif. It was a big story.
Gabi Khoury explained that when Youssef Shaheen presented the film Bab al-Hadid to the producer, he presented it on the basis that the hero of the work, Farid Shawqi, and the heroine Hend Rostom, indicating that Shaheen was thinking a lot about how to present the film, adding: The producer who made Bab al-Hadid destroyed his house. The film did not sit for 3 days in the cinema. They cut the chair, insulted him, and spat in his face.
Producer and director Marianne Khoury pointed out that female producers were very enthusiastic about the late director, including producer Mary Queenie, who produced many films for him, as well as producer Asia, who made the film Saladin with him, which posed a challenge for him.
Gabi Al-Khoury added that his series of films with Faten Hamama and Omar Sharif gained him an audience and strengthened his presence with producers, and Marianne explained that director Youssef Chahine was very enthusiastic about the artist Faten Hamama.
