During his honoring ceremony at the 19th National Festival for Egyptian Theater, Ahmed Wafik shared previously untold details about landing the lead role in “Silence... We’re Filming” alongside singer and actress Latifa.
Wafik explained that he initially believed he had no chance of joining the project because Ahmed Zaki had been the first choice for the lead role. Feeling disappointed, he returned to his hometown in Mansoura, convinced that the opportunity had slipped away.
Unexpectedly, director Emad El Bahat contacted him and asked him to immediately visit filmmaker Youssef Chahine. Upon arriving, Chahine handed him the screenplay without revealing why he had been called.
Moments later, director Khaled Youssef entered the office and informed Wafik that he had officially been selected as the film's lead actor.
Wafik described the moment as life-changing, especially because the role allowed him to move beyond the type of characters he had previously portrayed and showcase a different side of his acting abilities.
The seminar also highlighted Youssef Chahine's lasting influence on discovering and nurturing new talents, while the festival celebrated several iconic figures of Egyptian theater.
The opening ceremony featured the visual performance “Safar” (Journey), directed by Walid Aouni, celebrating Egypt's cultural diversity and the festival's mission of expanding theatrical activities across the country's governorates.
