Tributes

Tributes

Awwad Shukri

The loyal son of the Upper Egypt

Awad Gouda Shoukry was born on January 17, 1954, in the village of Deir Abi Hanas, Mallawi Center, in Minya Governorate. His uncle is Mamdouh Shoukry, director of the movie “The Visitor of Dawn”, he was the one that taught him how to appreciate all forms of art. Awwad used to accompany his uncle while filming, that’s how he learned about all details of the industry and loved it, and that’s why he chose afterwards to join the Film Institute. His uncle Ramses Shukri, who was the author of the famous old novellas, introduced him to the director Raafat Al-Mihi. He also nominated him to work as Samir Seif’s assistant in the movie “Al Motawahesha/ The Savage.”

He won first place among the graduation projects of directing department after his movie “Why Egypt?”. Afterwards he directed his great movie "The Visit", which was inspired by a true story he has witnessed in his youth, followed by his short feature film "The Throat", which he presented to compete at the Clermont-Ferrand Festival in France.

Successes has never left his side, accompanied by the attention of critics, with his movie “The Quarry” which competed in “Leipzig” festival in Germany. Not to neglect his amazing rather important movie  “Upper Egypt train”, which won the Best Short Film Award from the “Reality Cinema” festival and the silver award in 1988 at “Ismailia” festival.

His most recent work was the movie "Al-Khal" about the poet Abdul Rahman Al-Abnoudi and his important project in documenting. The epic story of Bani Helal biography.  It was presented in 2015, and it was the perfect end of career, worthy of an artist who grew up in the spring of civilization in Upper Egypt. Loyal to the documentary film and through his journey, he trusted the Egyptian citizen in his quest for a decent life.