Of science and life TODAY another high-profile book launch at Dar El-Sherouk's luxurious First Mall outlet brings to the fore Nobel laureate Ahmed Zuweil's 'Asr Al-'Ilm (Age of Science). A major contribution to scientific literature, the book summarises years of cutting-edge research in for the layman. Attending the event, aside from the publishing house's owner Ibrahim El-Moallem (also chairman of the Arab Publishers Union) will be a coterie of intellectual and literary figures. "I wish I could read." Thus the foreword, by Egypt's only other Nobel laureate, novelist Naguib Mahfouz, whose poor eyesight deprives him of this most fundamental pleasure, "if only to read every word of this book, a worthy endeavour due no less to its crucial subject than to its author's greatness." Autobiographical in essence, the book's two sections deal, respectively, with the author's academic career in Egypt, California and beyond; and the future of science in the Arab world, with especial reference to the individual's need to seek out knowledge where it is to be found. The last chapter comprises an interview by Ahmed El-Mosalamany, a prominent political analyst who helped edit the manuscript. Besides its scientific content, the book includes Zuweil's exhortations on education, economics and politics. The interview, in particular, reveals the author's broader worldview: "The political condition for the development of any civilisation is that the people's authority to censure governance and administration should be safeguarded. This implies a democratic regime... Whatever the system [of democracy], what counts is the existence of some workable democratic formula..." Lions by the sea LAST week the end of the 62nd Venice International Film Festival highlighted the winning competition entries: Brokeback Mountain, directed by Ang Lee, won the Golden Lion Award for best film; Les Amants réguliers (Regular Lovers) by Philippe Garrel, the Silver Lion for best director; and Mary by Abel Ferrara the Special Jury Award. George Clooney's second directorial effort Good Night, and Good Luck won the Best Actor Award for David Strathairn's performance. The only Italian winner was Giovanna Mezzogiorno, who received the Best Actress Award for her role in La bestia nel cuore (Wildness in the Heart), directed by Cristina Comencini. Les Amants réguliers also won the cinematography award, which went to William Lubtchansky, while George Clooney and Grant Heslor received Good Night, and Good Luck the Best Script Award. The Marcello Mastroianni Award went to the young actress Ménothy Cesar for her role in Vers le Sud (Towards the South), dirceted by Laurent Cantet; while Isabelle Huppert won a Special Lion for her lifetime achievement. Two years ago veteran Egyptian actor Omar Sharif, whose César winning film Monsieurs Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran (Monsieurs Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Quran) was screened outside the official competition, received a similar honour. This year, the city of Venice hosts Sharif and presents him with an award of recognition for contributing to films that encourage cultural dialogue, and premiéres his film Fuoco su di me (Fire Over Me), directed by Lambero Lambertini. In Fuoco Sharif plays a citizen of Napoli during the Napoleonic wars, acting in Italian for the first time in his 52-years-long career. Beginning of the end EMADEDDIN Adeeb, chairman of the board of Good News Group, together with a range of art and media figures, attended a special screening of the company's first production, Haleem. The last film to star the late Egyptian screen icon Ahmed Zaki, who passed away five months ago, Haleem is a biopic of legendary singer Abdel-Halim Hafiz, who is associated with the romanticism and nationalism of the Nasserist era. Those who had the pleasure of sneak peak believe this to be "one of the most important films ever made in Egypt". Written by Mahfouz Abdel-Rahman, and directed by Sherif Arafa, Haleem also comprises the debut of Haitham Zaki, the son of the late actor -- who plays the young singer. It co-stars Mona Zaki, Slaf Fawakhirji, Gamal Soliman, Ezzat Abu Ouf and Samira Abdel-Aziz, . Mahfouz production The latest adaptation of Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz's work to the screen is an emponymous film based on the short story The Stoned Man and the Bomb. A Media Production City project, the shooting is due to be completed this year. Mahfouz agreed to sign the contract after talking to head of the Media Production City Abdel-Rahman Hafez and Mamdouh El-Leithy, the head of the City's cinema department. Written by Mustafa Mouharam, the script will likely be shot by Said Marzouk, who will be returning to the screen after a years-long hiatus.
