Every director’s debut is referred to as an “experiment”; a term that is used to describe the
director’s attempt of testing his abilities and talent in filmmaking. One of the most notable traits
in Marwan Hamed’s early works is his bravery in experimenting, especially when adapting successful and
sophisticated literary works. What makes Hamed’s experiments unusual and distinguished is that he
doesn’t seek testing his abilities, as much as he seeks experimenting with new topics, tools,
feelings, and genres that are unfamiliar to the Egyptian film industry.
Hamed possesses an extensively auspicious repertoire that extends over 20 years of experience in
producing as well as directing films, in addition to directing over 300 commercials, TV drama series
and music videos.
Every director’s debut is referred to as an “experiment”; a term that is used to describe the
director’s attempt of testing his abilities and talent in filmmaking. One of the most notable
traits in Marwan Hamed’s early works is his bravery in experimenting, especially when
adapting successful and sophisticated literary works. What makes Hamed’s experiments unusual
and distinguished is that he doesn’t seek testing his abilities, as much as he seeks
experimenting with new topics, tools, feelings, and genres that are unfamiliar to the
Egyptian film industry.
Hamed possesses an extensively auspicious repertoire that extends over 20 years of experience
in producing as well as directing films, in addition to directing over 300 commercials, TV
drama series and music videos.
Graduated from the Higher Institute of Cinema in 1999, Marwan Hamed started his cinematic
career in 2000 as an Assistant Director in the film Souq Al Motaa. During his studies, he
directed two short films and several documentaries, but what stood out from the crowd was his
40-minute Lilly, through which Amr Waked was also first introduced as a promising talent.
Based on a short story by renowned Writer Yousef Idrees, the film was a great success,
garnering various international awards, including the Prix du Public at the Clermont Ferrand
Film Festival, Golden award at the Carthage Film Festival and the Silver prize at the Milano
Film Festival for African Cinema. The film was screened on various TV channels including the
ARTE network.
In 2006, Marwan directed his feature debut, The Yacoubian Building, which is based on Alaa Al
Aswani's celebrated novel of the same name. The most expensive film ever made in the history
of Egyptian cinema; it features an all-star cast, including superstars Adel Imam and Yousra.
The film follows the lives of a diverse array of the residents of the Yacoubian Building,
once-opulent edifice inhabited by Egyptian foremost elites, but now a languish decomposing
building symbolizing Egypt's deteriorating condition after the 1952 Revolution.
The Yacoubian Building dominated the Egyptian box office for the entire summer season in
2006, generating more than $4 million in more than 15 countries all over the world. The film
also screened at some of the world's most prestigious film festivals, including: the Berlin
International Film Festival in the Panorama section, Cannes Film Festival, BFI London Film
Festival in London, Chicago International Film Festival in the USA, Marrakech International
Film Festival in Morocco, and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival in Greece.
The film won numerous awards, including the Best New Narrative Filmmaker Award at the Tribeca
Film Festival in 2006, the Bronze Award at the Montreal Film Festival, the Golden Eye Award
at the Zurich Film Festival, and the Grand Prix at the Festival du Monde Arab France.
Inspired by true events, Hamed’s second feature film was Ibrahim Labyad, which featured a
star-studded cast, including Egypt’s legendary star Mahmoud Abdel Aziz, Ahmed El Sakka, Hend
Sabry, and Amr Waked. The film grabbed the Egyptian audiences’ attention with its realistic
portrayal of life in the slums and its abundance of violent details. The film screened at the
Le Marche du Film of the Cannes Film Festival, the Montreal Film Festival and the Sao Paolo
International Film Festival.
Marwan also directed the short film 1919, part of the movie 18 Days, a collection of 10 short
films about the January 25th Revolution in Egypt, directed by 10 Egyptian directors. The film
premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2011 in the official selection for special
screenings.
In 2014, Marwan directed The Blue Elephant (El Feel El Azrak), which is a cinematic
adaptation of Ahmed Mourad’s bestselling novel in 2012 of the same name. The novel was
shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF) in 2014. Starring Karim
Abdel Aziz, Khaled El Sawy and Nelly Karim, the film is a psychological mystery that delves
deep into the world of the paranormal. The Blue Elephant's visual effects are created by BUF
company, a high-profile French visual effects and animation giant. Egyptian critics believe
that The Blue Elephant is a successful milestone in special visual effects that marks a step
forward for the Egyptian cinema towards the international market. The film was distributed in
Jordan as well as the GCC states; the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. The Blue Elephant was a
box-office hit in Egypt and grossed over $5 million worldwide.
The Blue Elephant has stolen the scene at the 41st Egyptian Film Association Festival
scooping a total of nine awards, including the Best Director and Best Film awards to Marwan
Hamed. At the Luxor African Film Festival (LAFF), the film reaped the festival's main award,
the Grand Nile Prize for the Best Long Narrative Film. In 2015, the film received the Special
Jury Award at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF).
In 2017, Hamed directed The Originals, a psychological drama that features an all-star cast,
including Menna Shalaby, Maged El Kedwany and Khaled El Sawy. Hamed won several awards for
The Originals, including the Best Director award at the 38th Fantasporto - Oporto
International Film Festival in Portugal and the Special Jury award at the 66th Egyptian
Catholic Center Cinema Festival.
Hamed’s 2018 thriller-mystery Diamond Dust, based on the novel of the same name by writer
Ahmed Mourad, who also wrote the film's screenplay. Diamond Dust features Menna Shalaby,
Shereen Reda, Asser Yassin, Eyad Nassar, Sabreen, Maged El Kedwany and Ahmed Kamal. The film
grossed EGP 32 million in Egyptian theaters and won many awards, including the Best Director
at the 1st Casablanca Arab Film Festival in Morocco.
His latest film Blue Elephant: Dark Whispers, a sequel to his 2015 thriller The Blue
Elephant, has made record-setting success, grossing more than EGP 102 million in Egypt and
other Arab countries. Hamed is currently shooting his new film Kira & El Gen.
In 2019, America Abroad Media (AAM) honored Marwan Hamed and his father, renowned
screenwriter and producer Wahid Hamed, at its sixth annual Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C.
Marwan has directed several music videos by renowned singers, including Egyptian and
international pop-star Amr Diab, winner of four World Music Awards for Best Selling Middle
Eastern Artist. Fascinated by his work in The Yacoubian Building, megastar Diab selected
Marwan to helm his music hit Ne’oul Eh.
Along with films and music videos, Marwan’s record boasts over 300 TV commercials for a
selection of global and local brands, such as Mercedes, Vodafone, Sprite, Etisalat, TE Data,
the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism, and Mobinil’s 2013 campaign song Malnash Gher Baa’d, which
had a peerless resonance among Egyptians after its release, reaching 3.6 million views on
YouTube. For his directorial bravura in the former campaign, Mobinil asked Hamed to direct
its 2014 campaign’s theme song. Marking the first 5-minute one-shot music video, Marwan’s
Eftah Albak transcended 2 million views on YouTube.
In 2007, Hamed co-founded Lighthouse Films with Fadi Fahim and Karim Shaker. Armed with their
skills and passion for filmmaking, the trio has carved a reputation for Lighthouse Films as a
leading production company with a young creative feel specialized in all parts of media
production. The company produces TV commercials for the top multi-national advertising
agencies, feature and short films and TV content.
Marwan was selected as a jury member at a number of highly extolled festivals, including the
head of jury for the Child Protection Award, within the framework of the Abu Dhabi Film
Festival in 2014, and a jury member at each of the Taormina Film Festival in 2007, Montpelier
Film Festival in 2008, Montreal Film Festival in 2010, Abu Dhabi Film Festival (New Horizons
Competition) in 2011, and the Human Rights Watch Film Festival in Zurich.