Film festival honors Tayseer Fahmy

Egyptian star and political activist Tayseer Fahmy talks about her happiness at being honoured at an international women's film festival in Morocco and her political aspirations. In an exclusive interview with Arabstoday she talked about implementing her new "Equality and Development" (Al Mosawah Wa Al Tanmia) party and her participation in the January 25 revolution. Tayseer Fahmy, who has US nationality, is a star who represents the different components between art and struggling. She graduated from acting at the high institute for theatrical arts and has a career spanning thirty five years, having acted in 25 movies, 100 TV soap operas and 37 plays. Her most famous cinema work is "Oshak That El Eshreen", (Lovers under Twenty) and "Al Awama Sabeen" (Boat Seventy), along with drama works such as "Abnaa Wa Laken" (Sons But). She was one of the first artists who went to Tahrir Square to take part in the January 25 revolution in 2011 and also has the honour of being the first president of a political party called  "Equality and Development." Tayseer Fahmy, who is married to producer Ahmed Abu Bakr, expressed her happiness at being honoured at the women's international film festival saying, "I felt happy when I was awarded it in Morocco, the festival is a very good idea. It's important to see a festival rewarding women, highlighting their developing role in developing the society. I am happy to see Moroccan women believe in women's freedom and equality, I also participated in a spring festival for theatre in Casablanca several years ago and one of my plays won the best play award." "The Moroccan woman is known for her culture, she is defending her right to exist and have freedom, she has succeeded in proving herself and supports her rights through personal law and by encouraging other Arab women." Tayseer is very optimistic about the Egyptian political situation after the revolution. "I am not afraid like others such as Islamists. Egyptians have broken all borders, asked Mobarak to step down, they are not afraid anymore. Egyptians are able to force unfair rulers to step down in order to achieve democracy and respect rights and freedoms," she said. Talking about her meeting with President Mohamed Morsi saying "I am not satisfied just through holding meetings and talks, I need actions and, like all Egyptians, need successful and transparent solutions." "Egyptians are smart enough and they know a true believer from a fake one. "I was the first artists who went to Tahrir square, I told Egyptians that I was sorry for the situation we were living in. And I believed that art is enough for me to express my objection, I can criticise the negative points in society through my work."  She doesn't believe the Arab Spring revolution is complete yet and that there is a lot more work to be done. Tayseer is working with a group of young men on a new movie about the subject. "The script is almost finished, those youths participated in the revolution right from the beginning, but we haven't decided the director yet, or the main and secondary roles in the movie." Last year Tayseer set up a new party following the revolution with the intention of fielding young revolutionaries as candidates in the upcoming parliamentary elections. She said: "Some young people chose me to lead the party in order to find new legal channels to express our views, they shouldn’t spend their life in demonstrations and striking." "It’s a democratic socialist moderate party, calling for achieving social justice and keeping Egyptian dignity." She strongly believes in  pushing women's issues, "I am against any kind of discrimination, we are dealing with humans and the party is open for men and women, without any preference for one over another," she added. Tayseer and her husband were accused of being agents for the USA, but she said: "My husband and I have American nationality and I don’t care for these kinds of accusations because the American nationality does not negate my Egyptian nationality."  And as for the pressure to look young in an industry obsessed by youth and beauty she said: "I haven't had any cosmetic surgery, every age has its beauty, but I don’t mind doing it if I need it."