A year ago, Egyptian actor Mahmoud Hemida was a guest on the Moroccan show El Mowagaha with Bilal Mermaid.

Hemida: This is the first time I am interviewed by a presenter who introduces me to this audience so fluently and without fumbling.

Hemida: I always said that almost 90% of works is stolen or as they prefer to say “adapted,” which is legitimate, because the cinematic medium is not our own invention and we keep up with all works, so when we come up with something, it turns out similar.

Hemida: The concept of property rights was not an option.

Presenter: Many Moroccans have watched the film Shams El Zanaty and your role is “Marshal Boraie.”

Hemida: I was asked once, how is the cinema? I answered: Cinema is always fine, but its makers are the ones who aren’t.

I mean you cannot always determine filmmakers’ educational background, so people would say mockingly: do you actually consider filmmaking an actual job? So I mean those people who mock our profession are a shame to filmmakers.

Hemida: I love this job and I love cooperation. I am also aware that I have reached an age that is no longer required to be present in films, because cinema is always for young talents, not for old actors.

Hemida: The film’s producer is a dear colleague, so the personal side is indeed motivating. Besides, the writer of the film is a female, and I strongly encourage the dual element to be present in the film industry, and this is not out of forgiveness or courtesy, as we do in parliaments, rather I have reasons.

Hemida: The film Youm El Setat is really valuable to the spectator, so it will be an appealing element to a part of the audience.

Hemida, in response to the saying that the audience wants it like this as we have it in Egypt, said: No, I do not agree with this phrase.. the audience wants things we are not aware of, so claiming or speaking on its behalf is not acceptable to me.

Hemida: In the film Baheb El Cima, the main theme is more religious, and when anyone discusses this point, they take their side, and if one points fingers at any one of them, they follow in his footsteps.

Hemida: The festival industry is not adequate in the sense that we regard it as a film wedding, and the first obstacle that met the festival was the death of its former president, Saad Eddin Wahba. Who was not an ordinary man but a statesman, and the change of presidents ended with the revolution that broke out and turned everything upside down, taking down the Film Festival as well.
Hemida, speaking of Gannet Al-Shayateen: No film has ever been made without facing production issues.

Hemida: Youssef Chahine asked me, Don’t you want to be a director? I told him: No, I don’t want to be a director.

Hemida about his appearance on Ramez’s show: Ramez makes agreements with guests on the show, but when his management tried to mine about an an agreement, I refused and told him: I will not lie to people. If you want me on your show, do it without my knowing. So, they talked to Eman and said we want to do an episode with Nishan to talk about the difference between nomadism and civilization, so I agreed and went to Abu Dhabi, and then he told me we would film the promo at a place where there were gazelles… and he went down in the pit.

Hemida: When I get upset and nervous, I take off my clothes so nothing hinders my movement and I like that.

Hemida: Shadia, may God bless her soul, is forever in our memory.

Hemida: It was my work with Mohamed Khan that encouraged me to study cinema.

Hemida: Eman, my daughter, she actually manages me personally.