Acting is my life's greatest passion: Ahmed Malek at Alexandria Short Film Fest - Screens - Arts & Culture

Al-Ahram Weekly

29-04-2025

During a masterclass at the 11th Alexandria Short Film Festival, actor Ahmed Malek opened up about his journey in cinema, creative integrity, and the emotional charge that fuels his craft.
Malek is among the honourees of this year's festival, and notably one of the youngest actors to receive the recognition.
At 30, he has already carved out a space for himself as a performer of remarkable depth, celebrated not only by Egyptian directors and audiences but also on the international stage.
He stands among a select group of young Egyptian actors whose careers span both domestic and foreign productions.
His role in the Australian feature The Furnace (2020) marked a turning point in his career, earning him accolades and cementing his cross-cultural appeal.
The discussion, held in the atmospheric hall of the Graeco-Roman Museum, began with Malek reflecting on his deep love for acting.
'Acting is the greatest passion of my life. I'm fortunate to work in a profession I love and earn an income from,' he said.
Malek was quick to downplay notions of stardom.
'I'm not a symbol of success. I just try to do my part. Success is a big responsibility. God gives according to effort, and when we succeed, we have to keep building on that and preserve it.'
Despite recent acclaim—including his widely praised performance in the 2025 Ramadan drama Welad El-Shams, alongside Taha Desouky—Malek remains refreshingly grounded.
On the craft
Speaking candidly about his approach to the work, Malek emphasized the labour behind each role, noting that the real substance lies in preparation.
'Preparation continues right up to the moment the director says 'Action.' That's when I fully merge with the character and live its details,' he explained.
He described inhabiting a character's world as one of the most rewarding parts of acting.
While he admires actors who completely transform for a role, Malek said he's still evolving into that kind of depth.
'Some habits or accents might stay with me after filming, but they don't affect who I am once the camera stops.'
For Malek, responsibility is key.
'An actor is responsible for his role, and this experience helped me a lot in deepening my performance and refining my tools.'
But his reflections didn't stop at the personal. Malek addressed broader political and cultual limitations facing Arab actors in international cinema—particularly stereotyping and limited roles.
'In the past, Arab actors were restricted to roles linked to terrorism. Today, we find ourselves limited to roles of refugees. After what's happening in Palestine, I've lost interest in participating in international works because of their political leanings. I'd rather invest my energy and effort in supporting the film industry here in Egypt and the Arab world—and my family,' he declared.
His words resonated deeply, sparking a larger conversation in the room about representation, identity, and cultural agency in global storytelling.
Ahmed Malek
Born in 1995, Ahmed Malek is widely admired for his range and commitment to emotionally complex roles.
He began his career in 2005 with the TV series Ayamna El-Helwa and rose to prominence in 2010 for his portrayal of a young Hassan al-Banna in TV drama El-Gamaah.
He earned critical acclaim for his roles in Clash (2016), Sheikh Jackson (2017), and Night/Ext (2018), all of which premiered at major international festivals.
His global breakthrough came with The Furnace (2020), which debuted at the Venice Film Festival and earned him two best actor nominations in Australia.
He gained further attention with his role in The Swimmers (2022), directed by Egyptian-Welsh filmmaker Sally El-Hosaini.
The BAFTA-nominated film opened the Toronto International Film Festival.
Malek also starred in Kira & El-Gen (2022), directed by Marwan Hamed, and the short film Matar (2024) by Hassan Akkad, continuing to demonstrate his range across Arab and international cinema with equal skill.
Balancing global reach with local roots, Ahmed Malek remains one of the most compelling actors of his generation—unafraid to question the systems around him, while staying true to the passion that brought him here.
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