MONSIEUR IBRAHIM ET LES FLEURS DU CORAN

In his search for an English-speaking actor with Mediterranean features for the role of Sherif Ali, British director David Lean broke with expectations by choosing an actor largely unknown outside of his native Egypt. But Omar Sharif captivated alongside Peter O’Toole in Lawrence of Arabia (1962). His outstanding performance earned him a Golden Globe for best supporting actor and made him the first Arab actor to sign with Columbia Pictures. Three years later, his depiction of the famous Russian Doctor Zhivago resulted in international fame and a second Golden Globe, this time for best actor. A lover of women and cards, the Casanova with the languid voice was a dashing ambassador of the seventh art to the end, and the uncontested king of Egyptian cinema.