| El Sett | |
|---|---|
| Egyptian Arabic | الست |
| Directed by | Marwan Hamed |
| Written by | Ahmed Mourad |
| Produced by | Tamer Morsi Ahmed Badawy |
| Starring | Mona Zaki Mohamed Farrag Ahmed Khaled Saleh Sayed Ragab |
| Cinematography | Abdel Salam Moussa |
| Edited by | Ahmed Hafez |
| Music by | Hesham Nazih |
Production company | Synergy Films |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 161 minutes |
| Country | Egypt |
| Language | Egyptian Arabic |
El Sett is a 2025 Egyptian biographical drama film focusing on the life of the Egyptian singer and actress Umm Kulthum. [1] [2] It is written by Ahmed Mourad and directed by Marwan Hamed. The film stars Mona Zaki in the title role as Umm Kulthum. [3] [4] El Sett was released on December 11, 2025, by Synergy Films. [5] [6]
The film begins in 1967, as Umm Kulthum prepares to perform at the Olympia in Paris for one of her most important international concerts. The film then shifts to her childhood in the village of Tamay al-Zahayra in the Dakahlia Governorate, where she began singing with a powerful and unusual voice for a young child. She moves to the city of Cairo with her father, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Beltagi, and she struggles with societal traditions and the difficulties she faced as a woman in the artistic world. [7] Umm Kulthum starts a business relationship with renowned Cairo poets and composers such as Ahmed Rami, Mohamed El Qasabgi and Riad Al Sunbati, and those relationships had a huge impact on her life, personality, and voice. The film highlights her relationship with her band, the political and social context in which she lived, and her role during the Arab nationalism of the 1950s and 60s. The film concludes with a poignant portrait of Umm Kulthum's artistic and personal growth and her profound influence on millions of listeners throughout the Arab world. [8] [9]
The film had its world premiere on December 3, 2025, at the 22nd Marrakech International Film Festival. [1] [2] The film had its commercial premiere on December 11, 2025, in Egyptian theaters. [6]