- She had the musicality of Ella Fitzgerald, the public presence of Eleanor Roosevelt, and the audience of Elvis Presley. Her name was Umm Kulthum, and she became a powerful symbol, first of the aspirations of her country, Egypt, and then of the entire Arab world. Born a peasant at the turn of the century, she became a woman of great wealth and power, confidant of presidents and kings, and above all, President Gamal Abd al-Nasser's unofficial ambassador in the region. Four million people were on the streets of Cairo for her funeral in 1975. To this day, her cassettes outsell every other Arabic female vocalist. Narrated by Omar Sharif, Umm Kulthum, A Voice Like Egypt is the first documentary to bring Umm Kulthum to an American audience. The film puts her life in the context of the epic story of 20th century Egypt as it shook off colonialism and confronted modernity. The camera explores her astonishing connection with her audience, taking us into her village in the Nile Delta, and into the cafes, markets, and streets of Cairo where she lived and worked. From the Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz to a 12-year-old girl in an outdoor restaurant, people speak about the role Umm Kulthum's music has played in their lives, and sing their favorite songs for the camera.—Arab Film Distribution
- Narrated by Omar Sharif, Umm Kulthum, A Voice Like Egypt is the first documentary to bring Umm Kulthum to an American audience. The film puts her life in the context of the epic story of 20th century Egypt as it shook off colonialism and confronted modernity. The camera explores her astonishing connection with her audience, taking us into her village in the Nile Delta, and into the cafes, markets, and streets of Cairo where she lived and worked. From the Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz to a 12-year-old girl in an outdoor restaurant, people speak about the role Umm Kulthum's music has played in their lives, and sing their favorite songs for the camera.—Arab Film Distribution
- A special-interest documentary about Egypt's (and the Arab world's) legendary superstar, a singer-performer in a category all her own: Umm Kulthum, perhaps the greatest singer who ever lived. Omar Sharif narrates while we are shown bits of her life story, interviews, live performances, and the Egyptian public's reaction to this legend, coming from all levels of Egyptian society.—GMeleJr
- Umm Kulthum is one of the, or perhaps the, most powerful singer of all time. She was born to a poor family in a small village. Her father wanted a son, but she learned music while her younger brother was being trained by her father. Because of her extraordinary voice and talent, however, she was eventually able to support her family. She went on to star in six major motion pictures and broadcast a concert on Egyptian radio every week from the 1940s to the 1970s. She became the face and voice of a nation that went through major changes toward modernization when Abdel Nasser became president.
President Nasser, leader of the Egyptian Revolution who died in 1970, was one of her biggest supporters, and she supported the revolution against the British in her songs, which were written by the top composers and lyricists of the time and often used classical Arabic poetry that was sometimes made colloquial for larger audiences.
The first-of-its-kind documentary, loosely based on the book by Virginia Danielson about the woman who might be the greatest singer who ever lived, takes an in-depth look at her life, her artistry, and her influence in modern Egyptian society and the Arab world at large, including concert footage and ordinary people singing her songs.
Four million people attended her funeral when she died of kidney failure in 1974, and she is responsible for helping to shape the modern state of Egypt. Her voluminous and lengthy recordings remain top sellers to the present day.
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