Prominent Arab actor talks in Sharjah book fair

Sharjah - The 82-year-old actor played the main character in the movie Al Ikhtiar (The Choice), based on a novel by Naguib Mahfouz.

Actors, artists and authors are equally responsible for building their societies through their artistic conventions, said a prominent Arab actor.
Speaking on the sidelines of Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), acclaimed Egyptian actor Ezzat Al Alaili said the film industry has more power in reaching out to a wider audiences than a book.
Therefore, film producers and actors should be well read to portray the right content and message to audiences.
Having the power to reach all segments of society, from the elite to the uneducated, Al Alaili said actors should be able to communicate with the average viewer.
"As an actor, I have an active role in building my society. I should be able to communicate in the language that the average person uses, instead of showing off my talent or intellect."
Some of Al Alaili's greatest screen contributions have included roles based on novels by renowned Arab authors in the 20th century.
The 82-year-old actor played the central character in the movie Al Ikhtiar (The Choice), based on a novel by Naguib Mahfouz, winner of 1988 Nobel Prize for Literature, among many similar works.
Film and TV adaptations, he added, can highlight the strong points of literary works. All it takes is well-read crewmembers.
"You do lose details of a novel through its film adaptation, but the content itself stays the same. Stories have subtext, and directors should be able to portray what's between those lines and understand what the author is trying to say," said Al Alaili.
He noted that when authors understand the film process in return, they would be able to produce a great material for films that the audience would look forward to see.
"Directors who fail to portray the richness of a literary work simply destroys wealth," said Al Alaili.
Youth is the future
The current economic and political turmoil witnessed by the Arab World might have taken its toll on literary quality, but Al Alaili had a more positive outlook.
"There are many young authors we see nowadays who bring a fresh and non-traditional outlook to today's cinema," he said.
With 70 per cent of the Egyptian population made up of young people, Al Alaili said there is a lot of hope for the future.
"The youth are very hard to convince, very hard to rule, but their opinions are very important. They are the future after all."
Al Alaili urged young people to express their opinions and talents freely as they are the future builders of their societies.
He said technology and scientific achievements have changed the thought process among the youth, who will add a new dimension to literary works.
"Young people should demand their rights and express themselves. They are the leaders who will change the future."
- sherouk@khaleejtimes.com

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