The BA Mourns Renowned Director Daoud Abdel Sayed
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The Bibliotheca Alexandrina mourns the passing of one of Egypt's and the world's leading figures in the arts, renowned director Daoud Abdel Sayed, who passed away today, Saturday, 27 December 2025. On behalf of the Library administration and staff, Dr. Ahmed Zayed, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, extends his sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased, especially his wife, distinguished journalist Karima Kamal.
It is worth mentioning that Daoud Abdel Sayed was born in 1946 in Cairo and had a passion for cinema from an early age. He honed his talent by studying at the Cinema Institute, from which he graduated in 1967, and went on to work as an assistant director on a number of notable films with Youssef Chahine, Kamal El Sheikh, and others. He then decided to take to the streets with his camera and shoot a number of documentary films, which gave him direct exposure to social issues.
His first opportunity in the world of feature films came in 1985 when he directed his film Al-Sa'alik (The Vagabonds), followed by a series of distinguished works that are considered masterpieces of Egyptian cinema.
He excelled in writing the screenplays and dialogues for his films, as well as in directing. His films raised existential questions that reflected the concerns of contemporary man.
He received numerous awards and honors, and his films are always included in the lists of the 100 best Arab films published by various film institutions.