After Hend Sabry in 2017 And Menna Shalaby in 2019and in recognition for his exceptional career, the Cairo Film International Film Festival (CIFF) has chosen to award the Prize for Excellence Faten Hamama to the Egyptian actress Mona Zaki during the opening ceremony of her 42nd edition, which will be held from December 2 to 10, 2020.
“Mona Zaki is, par excellence, the star of her generation. Thanks to her work, she has become a great example of success for women working in Egyptian cinema, “said Mohamed Hefzy, president of the festival. He also added: “Thanks to her daring and intelligent career choices, she managed to achieve the difficult balance between critical success and commercial success. She always knows when she must say no, and therefore she keeps her glamor and celebrity in addition to the respect and appreciation of the public even if she is absent for a certain time. The Cairo Film International Film Festival is happy to award the Faten Hamama Excellence Prize during this 42nd edition ”.
For its part, Mona Zaki said that the fact that she was chosen to be honored by a Grand Prix bearing the name of the great artist Faten Hamama during the prestigious Cairo Film International Film Festival made her happy and proud of all the efforts she has made throughout her career and grateful to each colleague, director, writer and any film, thanks to which this unforgettable moment occurred.
“I will always be proud of my membership in Egyptian cinema, and I hope I have contributed, even a little, to support this important industry. I promise to the public that I will continue to do my best to work hard and help Egyptian cinema reach a level that has an impact not only locally but also beyond our borders, “she added.
Mona Zaki, superstar several times awarded, started her career when she was still a teenager, playing her first role with the eminent actor and director Mohamed Sobhi in the play Belaraby El Fasih (1991).
Mona Zaki’s career has included many various roles and highlighted her wide range of talents. Her flair for theater, song, dance and voiceover, as well as her natural charm, make her perfect for all the roles she plays.
Mona has played many emblematic roles that have admired her fans and who were also well received by criticism, like her roles in films Seidy Fe Gamea Amrekiya (1998),, Africano (2001),, Taymour and Shafika (2007),, Abu Ali (2005),, Sahar El Layaly (2003), Welad El Aam (2009),, An El Eshq W El Hawa (2006) And Dam El Ghazal (2005).
Throughout her career, Mona has played with all the best Egyptian actors and directors. She, for example, embodied the former first lady Gihane al-Sadat, in front of the Egyptian legend Ahmed Zaki in Ayam El Saddat (2001). Without forgetting her important role as a main actress in Ehky Ya Schehrazade/Women of Cairo (2009)where she courageously defended the right of women on the big screen with the director Yousry Nasrallah, attracting the attention of many to the very sensitive cause of domestic violence. Mona proved that her various talents, her dedication and her diversity made her perfect for any role.
Among the emblematic roles of Mona is the one she played in the soap opera Cinderella (2006)where she embodied the legend of Egyptian cinema Souad Hosny. Without forgetting its role in the soap opera AFRAH AL QOBBA (2016)where she played a complex character of a kind and sweet fatal woman.
In addition to her acting career, Mona Zaki is UNICEF ambassador and has contributed enormously to numerous national awareness campaigns to many subjects related to children, including children’s work, malnutrition, poverty, the effects of violence on children and female genital mutilation. Mona Zaki has also participated in numerous charitable initiatives, the last being a public call for celebrities to sponsor the families most affected by the COVVI-19 health crisis.
Mona is married to Ahmed Helmy, one of the favorite actors of the Egyptians. Together, they have three children.
Press release
