In "El-Sett" by Marwan Hamed, Mona Zaki embodies Umm Kulthum, the untouchable legend. (Image: Official film poster)
Approaching Umm Kulthum must be done with kid gloves. The biopic "El-Sett" nears the monument, circles it, films it from every angle… then retreats at the precise moment when cinema could take the plunge.Fifty years after the great diva’s passing, her life, career, legends and also the works inspired by her fate and her songs continue to fuel fascination, controversy and heated debate. It is hardly surprising, then, that this work, directed by Marwan Hamed and written by Ahmad Mourad, in theaters for a few weeks now, has sparked such excitement — even before its release. Don't miss this weekend's Breakfast in Bed! Roses from ruin, Rama Duwaji’s Lebanese couture, and an AI scandal Merely imagining the prospect of cracking the aura of the "lady of Arabic song" is to measure the boldness — even the risk — of the...
Approaching Umm Kulthum must be done with kid gloves. The biopic "El-Sett" nears the monument, circles it, films it from every angle… then retreats at the precise moment when cinema could take the plunge.Fifty years after the great diva’s passing, her life, career, legends and also the works inspired by her fate and her songs continue to fuel fascination, controversy and heated debate. It is hardly surprising, then, that this work, directed by Marwan Hamed and written by Ahmad Mourad, in theaters for a few weeks now, has sparked such excitement — even before its release. Don't miss this weekend's Breakfast in Bed! Roses from ruin, Rama Duwaji’s Lebanese couture, and an AI scandal Merely imagining the prospect of cracking the aura of the "lady of Arabic song" is to measure the boldness — even the risk...
