In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the passing of renowned director Mohamed Khan (October 26, 1942 – July 26, 2016), the Hurghada Youth Cinema Festival has chosen the poster of Al-Hareef (The Street Player), one of Khan’s iconic films, as the official symbol of the festival’s fourth edition, scheduled to take place from September 10 to 15.

Screenwriter Mohamed El-Basousi, the festival president, stated that the choice of the film’s poster reflects its status as one of the most significant milestones in Mohamed Khan’s cinematic career.

He added that the film was inspired by the true story of Saeed El-Hafy, one of the legendary figures of street football, who became famous throughout Cairo during the 1970s and 1980s.

El-Basousi noted that Khan rebelled against the traditional narrative structure in the film, creating a work that delves deeply into the psyche of its protagonist, revealing a troubled character torn between his desire to prove himself and his inability to shoulder the responsibilities of his family and work.

He also announced that the festival will screen the film as part of a special section dedicated to Arab cinema classics, which will be launched during this year’s edition.

For his part, journalist and writer Kadry El-Haggar, the festival director, explained that selecting the poster is a tribute to one of the enduring icons of cinema and reflects the festival’s commitment to connecting younger generations of filmmakers with their artistic roots.

He pointed out that the film was part of a collaborative production project led by the late Mohamed Khan, Atef El-Tayeb, editor Nadia Shoukry, and screenwriter Bashir El-Deek. Through this partnership, they produced several cinematic works, including Deadly Jealousy and Sunstroke, among others.

The poster was restored by graphic and design artist Mahmoud Adel.

It is worth noting that Al-Hareef was produced in 1983. It was written by Bashir El-Deek and Mohamed Khan, starring Adel Imam, Ferdous Abdel Hamid, Nagah El-Mogy, Zizi Mostafa, Abdullah Farghaly, and Abdullah Mahmoud, with a special appearance by the late renowned film critic Sami El-Salamouni. The film was directed by Mohamed Khan.

The story follows Fares, a worker in a shoe factory who lives in a small room on a rooftop after separating from his wife because he repeatedly abused her. He is passionate about playing street football in neighborhoods and public squares for betting money, which eventually causes him to lose his job due to neglect. He tries to reconcile with his wife, but she refuses. At the same time, an old friend who owns a car dealership offers him a job.