The legacy of the world-renowned Egyptian actor Omar Sharif will be honored by the 2016 Luxor African Film Festival, which will take place in Luxor from March 17 to 23.
During the duration of the cultural event, the festival will release "Omar Sharif in the Eyes of the World," a book dedicated to the late actor and his memory, according to an official press release .
"When Luxor African Film Festival chose the name of Omar Sharif for the tribute of this edition, the primary objective was to confirm the Egyptian identity of this great star and his belonging to the Egyptian homeland. Sharif has had a great respect and love for the Egyptian people," Egyptian film critic Ali Abou Shady wrote in the book's introduction.
The book examines how the world viewed the prominent actor, as well as his legendary status in film history and pop culture.
It will include 100 published articles about Sharif from nine countries that will appear in their original seven languages. These countries include the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Italy, Russia and China. It will also include 50 articles translated into Arabic.
In addition, many of the Egyptian actor's contemporaries, such as Claudia Cardinale, Danny Glover and Pierre Boulanger, will attend the opening ceremony of the festival to share personal stories about Sharif.
Sharif, who died in July 2015, was one of Egypt's most iconic actors. He was celebrated on the international film stage as an award-winning star and in his home country as a golden age cinema treasure.
The talented actor, who won three Golden Globe Awards and was nominated for an Academy Award, is best known for his roles in "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Doctor Zhivago."
But at home, Sharif is still remembered for his appearances in some of Egypt's most iconic films, such as "Sira' Fil Wadi" (Struggle in the Valley) and "Esha'et Hob" (Love Rumor), in which he starred opposite Faten Hamama and Soad Hosny respectively.
The Luxor African Film Festival, which will be holding its fifth edition, was founded by the Independent Shabab Foundation. It was established to bring African films to Egyptian audiences and to decentralize cultural events in Egypt, which are often held only in Cairo and Alexandria.