ALI ABDEL-KHALEK

An Egyptian director, who was born in Cairo on June 9, 1944, to a middle family. After completing his secondary education, he joined the Higher Institute of Cinema, directing department. He was influenced by leftist thought in his youth, which was reflected in his early films. After graduating from the institute in 1966, he worked as an assistant director for a while, then turned to directing documentaries, including Farewell Song. His feature directorial debut was A Song on the Passage (1972), which gained critical acclaim. During the 80s, he collaborated with writer Mahmoud Abu Zeid in several successful films, including The Shame (1982), Drug Habit (1985), and Monsters Run (1987). In television, he directed the TV series Star of the Masses (2003), and The Second Gate (2009).