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Hundreds gather at funeral of Egyptian actress

A file picture taken on January 29, 2001 shows Egyptian actress Faten Hamama posing for a picture in Beirut.

gyptian actress Faten returned home. A figure of the Hamama, an Arab film icon golden age of Egyptian cinema, Eand ’s former Faten Hamama’s career reached wife, died Saturday at the age of its pinnacle in the 1940s and 83, their son Tarek Sharif told 1950s. She starred in romantic AFP. Hamama, who was less than movies alongside the famed 10 when she made her screen Arab crooner debut, appeared in almost 100 as well as in films advocating films and worked with masters of women’s rights and condemning ’s massive film industry, social injustices. Faten Hamama including . She also had a daughter, Nadia, from often starred with Omar Sharif. a first marriage and tied the knot Born a Christian, he converted to for a third time with a doctor, Islam to marry Hamama and Mohamed Abdel Wahab. described her as the only love of Hundreds of mourners have his life. gathered at a mosque outside The couple appeared togeth- for the funeral of the er in the 1961 movie “River of actress. Her passing drew condo- Mourners carry Love” based on Leon Tolstoy’s lences from across the film the coffin of “.” The couple industry, and even the country’s Egyptian actress divorced in 1974 when Omar president, Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. Faten Hamama Sharif, then already famous in his The Ministry of Culture said during her funeral homeland, launched a career in Hamama, 84, died after a period yesterday in 6th Hollywood. of illness, and ordered a halt of of October City on “The Lady of the all artistic work in the country for the outskirts of screen,” as she was known, suf- two days of mourning. Cairo. — AFP fered “a sudden health problem Images from outside the cere- which led to her death,” Egypt’s mony, which began after midday official news agency MENA prayers, were broadcast live on reported. private channel CBC. Crowds Tarek Sharif did not give a blocked traffic in the area as cause of death, while MENA said mourners moved to the mosque she had been hospitalized weeks entrance where Hamama’s cas- earlier due to illness but had ket was carried aloft. — Reuters

A file picture taken in the 1950s shows Egyptian actress Faten Hamama (1931 A handout picture taken in 1962 shows Egyptian - 2015), who first captivated audiences actress Faten Hamama with her husband with the film Youm Sai’d (Happy Day) Egyptian born actor Omar Sharif and their son in 1940. Tariq in Cairo, Egypt.

A file picture taken A handout on February 21, picture taken in 2004 shows 1966 shows Egyptian born actor Egyptian Omar Sharif chating actress Faten with his then wife Hamama and Faten Hamama her husband before the 29th Nuit Egyptian born In this Dec 31, 1965 file photo, Egyptian actor Omar Sharif is des Cesars at the actor Omar seen with his wife, actress Faten Hamama, and their eight-year- Chatelet theatre in Sharif in Cairo, old son, Tarek, as they get together for New Year’s Eve celebra- Paris. Egypt. tion in Madrid, Spain. — AP/AFP photos