Galil Al-Bendari

Galil Al-Bendari

Egyptian Writer, Journalist, and Art Critic

📌 Personal Information

📅 Date of Birth: December 16, 1916

🕊️ Date of Death: November 29, 1968 (at the age of 51) – Dokki, Egypt

🌍 Nationality: 🇪🇬 Egypt

📝 Profession: Screenwriter, Journalist, Art Critic, Composer

🗣️ Languages: Arabic, English

📖 Life and Career

He started his career at the Telecommunications Authority before joining Akhbar Al-Youm, where he became one of the leading writers and critics.

He was known for his sharp wit and satirical style, to the extent that Umm Kulthum humorously said about him:

"His real name is Galil (which means 'little' in Arabic) in manners, and 'Bendari' (meaning 'extravagant') in boldness!"

He coined several famous nicknames for artists and works, including:

🎤 "The Dark-Skinned Nightingale" – for Abdel Halim Hafez

🎼 "The Meeting of the Clouds" – describing Umm Kulthum and Mohamed Abdel Wahab’s duet Enta Omri

🎶 "The Temple of Love" – for Umm Kulthum

🎭 "The Bridge of Sighs" – for Abdel Halim Hafez

🎬 Artistic Works

✍️ Writing, Screenplay, and Dialogue

🎥 El Anissa Hanafi (1954) – Story, Screenplay, and Dialogue

🎥 Abo Oyoun Garee’a (1958) – Story, Screenplay, and Dialogue

🎥 El Ataba El Khadra (1959) – Story, Screenplay, and Dialogue

🎥 Law’et El Hob (1960) – Story

🎥 Shafiqa El Qebtiya (1963) – Story

🎥 Maba Keshar (1974) – Story

🎼 Songwriting

🎵 El Shater Hassan (1948)

🎵 Sheherazade (1946)

🎵 Mabrouk Alayki (1949)

🎵 El Mustaqbal El Majhoul (1948)

🎬 Production

📽️ Maw’ed Ma’a Iblis (1955)

📽️ El Anissa Hanafi (1954)

🏆 Legacy and Influence

He was one of the most prominent and influential journalists and art critics in Egypt for nearly half a century.

His impact on artistic journalism and criticism remains significant.

🔹 Grandfather of filmmaker Ahmed Al-Bendari.