Egyptian film Director who was one of the most prominent Directors in the history of Egyptian cinema. His most celebrated films include Iskanderija... lih? (1979), Hadduta misrija (1982) and Destiny (1997).
He made his directorial debut with the film Baba Amin in 1950.
He received the 50th annual Lifetime Achievement Award at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival.
He was raised in a Catholic Levantine-Egyptian family.
He helped launch the career of star actor Omar Sharif, who made his acting debut in Chahine's 1954 film Sira’ fi-l-Wadi (The Blazing Sun).
