Samir Farid Collection in Akkasah: Center For Photography at NYUAD

Akkasah is the Center for Photography at New York University Abu Dhabi. It focuses on the histories and contemporary practices of photography in the Middle East and North Africa, documenting and preserving the diverse photography from the region. The aim is to establish a major hub for scholarly research on photography in the region, with a growing archive containing more than 33,000 images that includes donated and acquired photos.

It recently acquired more a collection of images from the late Egyptian writer and film critic Samir Farid (December 1, 1943 – April 4, 2017). The Samir Farid Collection consists of more than 3000 images from Egypt bought from various photographic studios and individual photographers and their private collections. The negatives include images from 265 Egyptian films produced between 1937-1988.

Akkasah has uploaded the first phase of the Samir Farid Collection online, consisting of 615 photos from 49 Egyptian films between 1943-1974.

This is a rare occasion for an institution in the Gulf region to share such a rich collection of images related to cinema. The photos have been digitised and labelled to include the film titles, directors, actors and the year the film was released. Each film has its own reference number too. It’s a valuable resource for cinephiles or anyone studying or researching film, especially Egyptian cinema. So far it is only available in English language and I am not sure if the data will be in available in Arabic too.

I spent an entire afternoon going over the photos to make a selection to share here. Not only is the collection an insight into classic Egyptian cinema, but also an insight into fashion, hairstyles, home interiors, domestic and social spaces, albeit mostly of the bourgeois.

I was also struck by the amount of images depicting lust and desire which we don’t often see in contemporary Arab cinema (you may recall this post titled “Clean Cinema” from last year). Needless to say, these were the first photos I collected to post here. More images from a longer list of films are added below too.

The photos are from films of varying genres, including historical dramas, musicals, comedies, and based on some of the titles and images, I’m guessing a couple of noirs too. There’s a lot from the collection to compare and contrast to films from the same period made in other parts of the world, especially Hollywood which appears to be an obvious influence. But this is a topic I’ll leave for another day.

 

Lust and Desire

 

More photos from the Samir Farid Collection

Les Miserables (Dir. Kamal Selim, 1943) Actors in Image: Amina Rizk, Zinat Sedki Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref3

Les Miserables (Dir. Kamal Selim, 1943)
Actors in Image: Amina Rizk, Zinat Sedki
Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref3

 
The Gentle Sex (Dir. Ahmed Kamal Morsi, 1945) Actors in Image: Madiha Yousri Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref7

The Gentle Sex (Dir. Ahmed Kamal Morsi, 1945)
Actors in Image: Madiha Yousri
Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref7

 
The Mother (Dir. Omar Jamee'i, 1945) Actors in Image: Amina Rizk, Laila Fawzy Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref6

The Mother (Dir. Omar Jamee'i, 1945)
Actors in Image: Amina Rizk, Laila Fawzy
Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref6

 
Angels in Hell (Dir. Hassan Al Imam, 1946) Actors in Image: Elsayed Bedir, Faten Hamama Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref8

Angels in Hell (Dir. Hassan Al Imam, 1946)
Actors in Image: Elsayed Bedir, Faten Hamama
Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref8

 
Fruit of the Crime (Dir. Syed Ziyada, 1947) Actors in Image: Rawheya Khaled, Zouzou Shakib Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref15

Fruit of the Crime (Dir. Syed Ziyada, 1947)
Actors in Image: Rawheya Khaled, Zouzou Shakib

Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref15

 
Women Are Devils (Dir. Hassan Al Imam, 1947) Actors in Image: Laila Fawzy Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref20

Women Are Devils (Dir. Hassan Al Imam, 1947)
Actors in Image: Laila Fawzy
Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref20

 
Zahra (Dir. Hussain Fawzy, 1947) Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref21

Zahra (Dir. Hussain Fawzy, 1947)
Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref21

 
The Mighty Samson (Kamel Al Tilmisany, 1948) Actors in Image: Hagar Hamdy Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref26

The Mighty Samson (Kamel Al Tilmisany, 1948)
Actors in Image: Hagar Hamdy
Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref26

 
Nargis (Dir. Abdel Fattah Hassan, 1948) Actors in Image: Nour El Hoda Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref29

Nargis (Dir. Abdel Fattah Hassan, 1948)
Actors in Image: Nour El Hoda

Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref29

 
The Unknown Future (Ahmed Salem, 1948) Actors in Image: Madiha Yousri Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref31

The Unknown Future (Ahmed Salem, 1948)
Actors in Image: Madiha Yousri

Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref31

 
People’s Gossip (Hassan Helmy, 1949) Actors in Image: Shadya Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref39

People’s Gossip (Hassan Helmy, 1949)
Actors in Image: Shadya
Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref39

 
Just My Luck! (Dir. Henry Barakat, 1950) Actors in Image: Wedad Hamdy, Mimi Shakib, Shadya Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref43

Just My Luck! (Dir. Henry Barakat, 1950)
Actors in Image: Wedad Hamdy, Mimi Shakib, Shadya
Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref43

 
Days of My Youth (Dir. Gamal Madkour, 1950) Actors in Image: Aziza Helmy, Mahmoud El Meleigy Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref41

Days of My Youth (Dir. Gamal Madkour, 1950)
Actors in Image: Aziza Helmy, Mahmoud El Meleigy
Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref41

 
Oh, Men (Dir. Helmy Rafla, 1950) Actors in Image: Mohamed Fawzy Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref42

Oh, Men (Dir. Helmy Rafla, 1950)
Actors in Image: Mohamed Fawzy

Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref42

 
Good News! (Dir. Abbas Kamel, 1952) Actors in Image: Karem Mahmoud, Laila Fawzy Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref50

Good News! (Dir. Abbas Kamel, 1952)
Actors in Image: Karem Mahmoud, Laila Fawzy

Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref50

 
As You Like (Dir. Helmy Rafla, 1952) Actors in Image: Laila Fawzy, Mohsen Sarhan, Taheyya Kariokka, Aziz Othman Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref55

As You Like (Dir. Helmy Rafla, 1952)
Actors in Image: Laila Fawzy, Mohsen Sarhan, Taheyya Kariokka, Aziz Othman

Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref55

 
Gilded Youth (Dir. Hassan Saifi, 1953) Actors in Image: Nagah Salem Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref63

Gilded Youth (Dir. Hassan Saifi, 1953)
Actors in Image: Nagah Salem
Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref63

 
The Smiles of Fate (Dir. Ilhamy Hassan, 1955) Actors in Image: Hussein Riad, Zouzou Nabil Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref82

The Smiles of Fate (Dir. Ilhamy Hassan, 1955)
Actors in Image: Hussein Riad, Zouzou Nabil

Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref82

 
The Sky Devils (Dir. Niazi Mostafa, 1956) Actors in Image: Salwa Mahmoud, Mohamed Abdel Moteleb Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref73

The Sky Devils (Dir. Niazi Mostafa, 1956)
Actors in Image: Salwa Mahmoud, Mohamed Abdel Moteleb
Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref73

 
Platform Number 5 (Dir. Niazi Mostafa, 1956) Actors in Image: Hoda Soltan, Zeinat Elwy Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref85

Platform Number 5 (Dir. Niazi Mostafa, 1956)
Actors in Image: Hoda Soltan, Zeinat Elwy

Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref85

 
Hamido’s Son (Dir. Fateen Abdel Wahab, 1957) Actors in Image: Ahmad Ramzy, Nelly Mazlom Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref91

Hamido’s Son (Dir. Fateen Abdel Wahab, 1957)
Actors in Image: Ahmad Ramzy, Nelly Mazlom
Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref91

 
Bahiya (Dir. Ramsis Naguib, 1960) Actors in Image: Lobna Abdelaziz Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref112

Bahiya (Dir. Ramsis Naguib, 1960)
Actors in Image: Lobna Abdelaziz
Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref112

 
The Woman Who Traps Men (Dir. Hassan Al Imam, 1960) Actors in Image: Hoda Soltan Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref117

The Woman Who Traps Men (Dir. Hassan Al Imam, 1960)
Actors in Image: Hoda Soltan
Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref117

 
My Only Love (Dir. Kamal Al Sheikh, 1960) Actors in Image: Nadia Lotfi, Omar Sharif Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref114

My Only Love (Dir. Kamal Al Sheikh, 1960)
Actors in Image: Nadia Lotfi, Omar Sharif
Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref114

 
Wedding Night Widow (Dir. Elsayed Bedir, 1974) Actors in Image: Nahed Sherif Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref2

Wedding Night Widow (Dir. Elsayed Bedir, 1974)
Actors in Image: Nahed Sherif
Samir Farid Collection, Akkasah: Center for Photography, Ref2