During its 44th edition, which will be held from November 13 to 22, 2022, the Cairo Film International Film Festival (CIFF) will distinguish the legendary Star Lebleba by awarding the Golden Pyramid, a prestigious Honorary Prize for the whole of his career.
This award will celebrate the long career of Lebleba which began at the age of five as a prodigy, especially known for its imitations of celebrities. His repertoire includes more than 200 songs and more than 60 films, television series and plays.
Hussein Fahmy, president of the Cairo International Film Festival, said: ” We are proud to award the Golden Pyramid of Honor for his whole career to the emblematic star, Lebleba, who devoted himself with dedication to the cinema and the Egyptian television series and has become over the years one of the most recognizable Egyptian celebrities. Personally, I am honored to have been part of his long career where I played by his side in several films »» (see the video here).
Amir Ramses, managing director of the Cairo International Film Festival, also added: “ Lebleba is a precious asset for any director, because its spontaneity, its charisma and its unrivaled capacity to pass comedies to heartbreaking dramas, have given depth to all its roles and have allowed, over the years, the films in which it plays, to attract a massive audience through the Arab world ».
Lebleba expressed his joy at receiving the prize by declaring: “J‘I have already been honored in various regional and international films festivals, but I find it very special to receive the Honorary Prize for my entire career at the Cairo International Film Festival. This award is the dream of any Egyptian actor and I am delighted to stand on the festival stage as one of its winners. ”
Ninochka Manoug Kupelian, better known by her stage name “Lebleba”, is a film actress, singer and Egyptian artist of Armenian origin. She is the cousin of emblematic stars: Fayrouz who was nicknamed “the prodigy child” during the “golden age” of Egyptian cinema, and her sister, the actress and legendary artist Nelly, who had herself received this same honor prize for the whole of her career, during the 43rd edition of the festival held in November 2021.
At the age of five, Lebleba began his career as an emerging talent, playing in several films. During the 1950s, she notably played in Habibty Sousou (1951) of director Neyazi Moustafa, El Beit El Saeed (1952) by Hussein Sedki, Ya zalemni (1954) of director Ibrahim Emara and Arba’a Banat w Dabet (1954) written, produced and interpreted by Anwar Wagdy. Lebleba has not only played in the film alongside the Anwar Wagdy and Na’eema Akef stars, as well as Ragaa’a Youssef and Awatef Youssef, but she had also appeared on the official poster of the film. Likewise, in 1955, Lebleba had played in Al Habeeb al Maghoul of the director Hussein El SEIFI, with whom she will then collaborate in the films Al Nagham Al Hazeen (1960) and Kadi El Gharam (1962).
During the 1960s and 1970s, when Lebleba became an emerging talent during her adolescence, she participated in different films, namely Nemr El Talameza (1964) by Eissa Karama, Egaza Bel’afeya from Nagdy Hafez and Akher El Ankoud de Zuhair Bekeer (1966). She collaborates once again with the director Hassan El SEIFI in Shantet Hamza (1967), El Meliouneer El Mozayaf (1968), Borg El Azraa (1970) of director Mahmoud Zoulfaqar, Rehlet Shahr El Asssal of the director Zuhair Bekeer, Bent badee’a from Hassan El Emam and Zawag Bel Ekraah de Nagdy Hafez (1972).
Lebleba then presented more emblematic films, as in 1973, El Shayateen FI Agaza by Hossam Eldin Moustafa, Shee’e Men El Hob of the director Ahmed Fouad and El Sokareya From Hassan El Emam, which is taken from the novel by the Nobel Prize winner, Naguib Mahfouz, marking one of the flagship films of Egyptian cinema.
In 1974, Lebleba presented 6 films, namely: El Banat Wel Hob by Hosps El Din Moustafa, 24 Sa’aa hob Ahmed Fouad, Arees El Hana by Mahmoud Fareed, Fel Seif Lazem Neheb by Mohamed Abdelaziz, and two films by Hassan El Emam: Agayeb ya zaman And Hekayti Ma’a El Zaman whose headliners were the great Roshdy Abaza and Warda.
In 1975, Lebleba played in other films, in particular: Mouled ya donia of the director Hussein Kamal, Ehtaresi Men Al Regal Ya Mama by Mahmoud Fareed, Meen ye2dar ala aziza of the director Ahmed Fouad, where she first played alongside Hussein Fahmy, who then collaborated with her in her in her Alf Bousa W Bousa (1977) of director Mohamed Abdelaziz, HOB FAWK EL BORKAN (1978) by Hassan Emam and Shaytan Men Assal by Hassan El SEIFI in 1985.
Throughout his career, Lebleba has played alongside several emblematic stars, forming some of the most unforgettable and charismatic duos of Egyptian cinema in the 1970s and 80s. The most remarkable of them include their duo alongside the legend of comedy Adel Imam in successful films: Al Baad Yzhab Lel Ma’zoun Martein (1978), Khali Balak Men Geranak (1979) and Esabet Hamada W Toutou (1982), all made by Mohamed Abdelaziz, as well as Ehtars Men Al Kkhot (1984) by Samir Seif.
Likewise, another adorable duo with Lebleba was presented alongside the guru of the comedy Samir Ghanem in the films: ENAHOM YASREQOUN EL ARANEB (1983) by director Nader Galal, Ehna Betou ‘el es’eaf (1984) of director Salah Karim, and Mahatet el together (1985) of director Hassan Ibrahim, to name just a few.
She also presented other charismatic collaborations on the screen with several stars during the same period, including: the Grand Mohamed Sobhy in Al Shaytana Alti Ahabatni (1990) of director Samir Seif, Ahmed Zaki in Ded El Hokouma (1992) of director Atef El Tayeb, and the legendary Nour Cherif in Leila Sakhena (1995) of director Atef El Tayeb who earned him the Arab film Biennial Prize at the Arab World Institute (IMA).
In 1999, Lebleba marked new milestones in his career with films: Ganet El Shayateen of the director Osama Fawzy, alongside Mahmoud Hemeida, Al Akhar by Youssef Chahine, with whom she collaborates again in Eskendria New York in 2004.
In the 2000s, Lebleba participated in several remarkable films, including: Ma’ali al wazeer (2002) of director Samir Seif, facing Ahmed Zaki, and Al Na’ama Wal Tawous (2002) of director Salah Abou Seif.
In 2004, she presented more emblematic collaborations with Adel Imam in Arees Men Geha Amnia of the director Ali Edris, and Hassan W Morkos (2008) of director Rami Emam, who also featured the international star Omar Sharif alongside a list of Egyptian stars.
His list of the most remarkable films includes Farhan Melazem Adam (2005) of the director Omar Abdel Aziz, where she presented an exquisite performance as Ehsan against Sami El Adl, Hassan Hosny and Fathi Abdelwahab.
Teenage lebleba.
In addition, Lebleba played alongside young cinema stars including Mohamed Henidy in Wesh Egram (2006) of director Wael Ehsan, Mohamed Saad in Bouha (2005) of director Rami Imam, Mohamed Imam in El Beih Romansy (2009) of director Ahmed El Badri, Hassan El Radad and Houreya Farghaly in Nazareyet Ameti (2013) by Akram Fareed, Khaled Abol Naga in Villa 69 of the director Ayten Amine, and Kareem Abdelaziz in Blue Elephant (2014) of director Marwan Hamed, and more recently she played in the film Casablanca (2019), which marks its latest cinematographic work.
Lebleba made his debut in television series with Adel Imam in Saheb El Saada (2014) of director Rami Imam, followed by Ma’moun wa shorakah (2016), El Share’q Elly Warana (2018) of director Magdy El Hawary, and Dayman bitter Directed by Magdy El Hawari, who was broadcast during the month of Ramadan 2022.
Throughout her professional career, Lebleba presented several one-women-show, where she was best known for her exquisite talent to imitate public figures and celebrities.
On the other hand, Lebleba participated as a jury member of several international festivals and events of the film, including the Cairo International Film Festival.
The Cairo International Film Festival is one of the oldest and most frequented festivals in the Arab and Africa world. In addition, the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) in Paris accredited it as a category “A” festival, so marking it as the only one in the Arab and African region on the list.
Press release
