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Alvise Orfanelli

(1902-1961)

Alvise Orfanelli
(1902-1961)

Mariam Fakhreldin in Light of Night

 

Son of the Nile starring Shoukri Serhan

Princess of Dreams starring Nour el Hoda

Correspondence over royalties between Orfanelli and Behna Brothers

Continuation of previous correspondence

Alvise Orfanelli, the Italian cinematographer resident in Alexandria, began his career in Alexandria working for Aziz and Dorés Cinematograph as an operator of the phonograph and discs, a technology introduced by Aziz and Dorés to make simultaneous commentary on films during their projection.

In 1917 the SITCIA (Italian Cinematographic Society) was established in Alexandria by Aziz and Cornel, and Italian investors with the support of the Banco di Roma, to produce longer films than had as yet been made. It went bankrupt within a year, and sold its equipment and laboratories to Alvise Orfanelli, since it did not have enough funds to settle the arrears of his overdue wages.

Historically, this is considered a turning point in his professional career as a cinematographer of Egyptian films. He turned to Egyptian actors as a step to approach the citizens of the host country. So he made Madame Loretta (Madâm Lourîtâ), directed by Leonard Laricci and starring the famous theatre actor Fawzi el Gazayerly and his troupe. The Ring of Solomon (Khâtim Soulaymân), filmed and produced in 1922, and featuring Fawzi Mounib and his troupe, is another example.

In 1928, he founded the Egyptian Artistic Films Society in collaboration with the Italian Amadeo Puccini and the French Jacques Schultz. Its first production was Souad the Gypsy (Sou’âd el ghagariyyah).

Orfanelli worked Mahmoud Khalil Rashed and Mohamed Bayoum The Little Magician (Mustafa aw el sâhir el saghîr) in 1932, and then worked with Togo Mizrahi in his Studio in Bacos in Cocaine (The Abyss) (el Kokaïn), 5001 (Khamsat âlaf wa wâhid), Sons of Egypt (Awlâd Misr), the Two Delegates (el Mandoubân), Shalom the Interpreter (Shalom el tourgmân) and Antar Effendi ('Antar afandi).

Between 1936 and 1940, he directed seven feature films. In 1938, he produced and directed two versions of his film My Maid (Khaddâmati), one in Arabic and one in Greek, and in 1939 he produced and directed his second Greek film Aghnoula based on a Greek script.

Abdel Halim Nasr, the well known director of photography, started his career as an assistant to Orfanelli in his studio in Manshieh Square, Alexandria.

It is as an assistant of Orfanelli’s that the internationally acclaimed Alexandrian Egyptian director Youssef Chahine started his career in cinema. Orfanelli further helped Chahine in the film business by introducing him to production companies in the late nineteen forties. Orfanelli then worked as in Chahine’s films Son of the Nile (Ibn el Nil) in 1951, Only Women (Nisâ’ bilâ rigâl) in 1953 and Cairo Station (Bâb el hadîd) in 1958.

Filmography:

1919: Madame Lorreta (Madâm Lourîtâ)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Leonard Ricci

1922: The Ring of Solomon (Khâtim Soulaymân)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Leonard Ricci

1928: A Kiss in the Desert (Qaublah fi-l-sahrâ')
Photography: Mayer Alsendeski/ Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Ibrahim Lama
Producer: Condor Films

1928: Souad the Gypsy (Sou’âd el ghagariyyah).
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Jacques Schutz
Producer: The Egyptian Film Company

1928: The Sea is Laughing (el bahr biyidhak)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Stéphane Rosti
Producer and Scriptwriter: Amin Atallah

1930: In the Moonlight (Tahta daw' el qamar)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Shukri Madi
Producer: Nahdet Misr Films

1930: Cocaine (The Abyss) (el Kokaïn)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Togo Mizrahi
Producer: Egyptian Films Company (Togo Mizrahi)

1932: Mustafa, or the Little Magician (Mostafa aw el sâhir el saghîr)
Photography: Mohamed Bayoumi/ Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Mahmoud Khalil Rashed
Producer: Institute of Science and Modern Inventions, (Cinema Department)

1932: (5001) (Khamsat âlaf wa wâhid)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director, Scriptwriter and Producer: Togo Mizrahi

1933: Sons of Egypt (Awlâd Misr)
Photography: Abdel Halim Nasr/ Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Togo Mizrahi
Producer: Egyptian Films Company (Togo Mizrahi)

1934: The Two Delegates (el Mandoubân)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director, Scriptwriter and Producer: Togo Mizrahi

1935: Shalom the Interpreter (Shalom el tourgmân)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director, Scriptwriter and Producer: Togo Mizrahi

1935: Antar Effendi ('Antar afandi)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Stéphane Rosti
Producer: Oriental Films Company

1935: Master Bahbah (el Mou'allim Bahbah)
Photography: Tullio Chiarini/ Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Fawzi el Gazayerly / Shukri Madi
Scriptwriter: Shukri Madi
Producer: el Gazayerly Films Company
Distribution: Behna Films

1936: The Black Hand (elYad el sawdâ')
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Alexander Aptekman
Scriptwriter: Amin Sedki
Producer: Alexander Aptekman
Distribution: Behna Films

1936: Abou Zarifa (Abou Zarîfah)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Alvise Orfanelli
Scriptwriter: Fouad el Gazayerly Producer: el Gazayerly Films/ Alvise Orfanelli
Distribution: Behna Films

1936: Black and White (el Abyad wa-l-aswad)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Fouad el Gazayerly / Alvise Orfanelli
Scriptwriter: Fouad el Gazayerly / Fawzi Mounib
Producer: el Gazayerly Films/ Alvise Orfanelli
Distribution: Behna Films

1937: A Night in the Life (Laylah fi-l-'oumr)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Alvise Orfanelli
Scriptwriter: Fouad el Gazayerly Producer and Distribution: el Gazayerly / Alvise

1938: My Maid (Khaddâmati)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Alvise Orfanelli
Producer and Distribution: Nahas Films

1938: A Much Awaited Day (Yawm el mounâ)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scripwriter: Alvise Orfanelli
Producer and Distribution: Nahas Films

1938: Bahbah Pasha (Bahbah Bâshâ)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Fouad el Gazayerly Producer: el Gazayerly Films
Distribution: Behna Films

1939: The Price of Happiness (Thaman el sa'âdah)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scripwriter: Alvise Orfanelli
Producer and Distribution: Nahas Films

1940: Under Fire (Tahtâ el silâh)
Photography: Primavera
Director and Scriptwriter: Fouad el Gazayerly Producer: Alvise Orfanelli
Distribution: Behna Films

1940: Men of Reason (Ashâb el 'ouqoul)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Mohamed el Aqqad
Producer: Egyptian Nile Valley Company

1945: First Day of the Month (Awwal el shahr)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Abdel Fattah Hassan
Producer and Distribution: Cairo Films Company
Set Design: Robert Scharfenberg

1945 Princess of Dreams(Amîrat el ahlâm)  
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Ahmed Galal
Scriptwriter: Abbas Kamel
Producer: Galal Films

1945: Patience is a Virtue (el sabr tayyib)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Hussein Fawzi
Producer: Youth Films
Distribution: Charles Lefintz

1946: My Cousin and I (Anâ wa ibn 'ammî)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli/ Julio di Luca
Director and Scriptwriter: Abdel Fattah Hassan
Producer: Arab Films Company
Distribution: Behna Films

1946: A Bride for Rent ('Arousah li-l-îgâr)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Farid el Guindi
Producer: Harb Films

1946: Oum el Saad (Oumm el Sa'd)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Ahmed Galal
Producer: Galal Films

1946: Salwa (Salwa)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Abdel Alim Khattab
Producer: Egyptian Cinema Films

1946: The White Angel (el malâk el abyad)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Ibrahim Emara
Producer and Distribution: Amin Films

1947: Angels in Hell (Malâ'ikah fi gahannam)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Hassan el Imam Producer: Wadi Films
Distribution: Behna Films

1947: The Vagabond (el Moutasharridah)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Mohamed Abdel Gawwad
Producer: Arab Unity Films

1947: The Lottery Seller (Bayyâ'at el yânasib)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Abdel Fattah Hassan
Producer: Gharram Sheiba Films

1947: Zahra (Zahrah)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Hussein Fawzi
Scriptwriter: Ibrahim Hussein el Aqqad
Set Design: Robert Scharfenberg
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: Fanar Film Company
Distribution: Charles Lefintz

1948: The Murderer (el Qâtil)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Hussein Sedki
Scriptwriter: Hussein Sedki/ Abdel Aziz Sallam
Set Design: Robert Scharfenberg/ Abdel Moneim Shukri Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: Modern Egypt Films
Distribution: Behna Films

1948: Bound for Glory (Nahw el magd)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Hussein Sedki
Set Design: Robert Scharfenberg
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli/Said Shalabi
Producer: Modern Egypt Films
Distribution: Behna Films

1949:  Don't Exceed your Limits ('Alâ 'ad lihâfak)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Fouad Shebl
Scriptwriter: Aboul Saoud el Ebiari
Producer and Distribution: Mabazim Films

1950: Your Mother-in-Law Loves You (Hamâtak tihibbak)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Fouad Shebl
Producer: Sami Films

1951: I am a Noble Woman (Anâ bint nâs)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Hassan el Imam Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: Mary Queeny

1951: Son of the Nile (Ibn el Nil)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Youssef Chahine
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: Mary Queeny

1951:  People's Secrets (Asrâr el nâs)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Hassan el Imam Scriptwriter: Hassan el Imam / Mohamed Mostafa Sami
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: Behna Films

1952:  The Wrath of Parents (Ghadab el wâludayn)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Hassan el Imam Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: Arab Films Company

1953:  Only Women (Nisâ̓’ bilâ rigâl)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Youssef Chahine
Scriptwriter: Youssef Chahine/ Nairouz Abdel Malek
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: Mary Queeny

1953: Such is our Destiny (Maktoub 'alâ el guibîn)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Ibrahim Emara
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: Mary Queeny

1953: Blame me Not (Anâ dhanbî ih)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Ibrahim Emara
Scriptwriter: Mohamed Mustafa Sami
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli

1954: A Dozen Handkerchiefs (Dastit manâdîl)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Abbas Kamel
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: Galal Films

1954: With you Forever (Dâyman ma'âk)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Barakat
Set Design: Robert Scharfenberg
Producer: Mohamed Fawzi Films

1954: The Demon of the Desert (Chaytân el sahrâ)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli/ Bruno Salvi
Director: Youssef Chahine
Scriptwriter: Hussein Helmi el Mouhandes
Producer: El Entesar Films

1955: Call Girls (Banât el layl)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Hassan el Imam Scriptwriter: El Sayed Bedeir
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: El Ettehad Films

1955: The Body (el Gasad)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Hassan el Imam Scriptwriter: El Sayed Bedeir/Mohamed Othman
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: Hassan el Imam

1956: A Criminal Record(Sahîfat el sawâbiq)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Ibrahim Emara
Scriptwriter: Mohamed Mustafa Sami/ Ibrahim Emara
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: El Ettehad Films (Abbas Helmi)

1956: Platform No.5 (Rasîf nimra khamsah)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Niazi Mostafa
Scriptwriter: El Sayed Bedeir/ Bretty Badar/ Niazi Moutafa
Producer: El Ahd el Jadid Films

1956: Enough Darling, no more (Kîfâyah yâ 'ayn)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Hussam Eddine Mustafa
Producer: Hussam Eddine Mostafa

1956: Spring of Love (Rabî el houbb)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Ibrahim Emara
Scriptwriter: Mohamed Mustafa Sami
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: Mary Queeny

1957: Lawahez (Lawâhiz)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Hassan el Imam Scriptwriter: Mohamed Mustafa Sami
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: El Mansoura Films

1957: The Great Love (el Houbb el 'adhîm)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli/ Mahmoud Nasr
Director: Hassan el Imam Scriptwriter: Nairuz Abdel Malek
Producer: Mustafa Hassan/ Kassem Wagdi

1957: Ismail Yassin at the Zoo (Ismâ'il Yâsin fi guininet el haywân)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Seif Eddine Shawkat
Scriptwriter: Aboul Saoud el Ebiari
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: Mary Queeny

1957: Temptation (Ighrâ)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Hassan el Imam Scriptwriter: Mohamed Mustafa Sami/ Hassan el Imam Producer: Abdel Wahab/ Barakat

1958: Cairo Station (Bâb el hadîd)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Youssef Chahine
Scriptwriter: Abdel Hai Adeeb
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: Gabriel Telhami

1958: Cairo Station (Bâb el hadîd)

1958: The Midnight Driver (Sawwâq nisf el layl)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Niazi Mustafa
Scriptwriter: Mohamed Othman/ Kamal Ismail/ Abdel Haiy Adeeb/ Niazi Mustafa
Producer: El Ahd el Jadid Films

1958: Fiery Love (Houb min nâr)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Hassan el Imam Scriptwriter: Mohamed Mustafa Sami
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: Mary Queeny

1958: My Lover's Fault (Ghaltat habîbî)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director:  El Sayed Bedeir
Scriptwriter: Mohamed Mustafa Sami
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: El Mansoura Films

1958:  Mercy from Above (Rahmah min el samâ')
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Abbas Kamel
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: Mary Queeny

1958: Sultan (Soultân)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Niazi Mustafa
Scriptwriter: Niazi Mustafa/Abdel Hai Adeeb
Producer: Ramses Naguib

1958: Ismail Yassin for Sale (Ismâ'îl Yâsîn lil-bay')
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Hussam Eddine Mustafa
Scriptwriter: Kamel Hefnawi
Producer: Ahmed Kamel Hefnawi

1959: Light of Night (Nour el layl)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Raymond Nasour
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: Raymond Nasour

1959: Meeting with the Unknown (Maw'id ma' el mag'houl)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Atef Salem
Scriptwriter: Youssef Eissa
Producer: Abdel Wahab/ Barakat

1959: Hassan and Naiima (Hasan wa Na'imah)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Barakat
Scriptwriter: Barakat/ Abdel Rahman el Khamissi
Producer: Abdel Wahab Films

1959: The Poor Millionaire (el Millionnaire el faqîr)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Hassan el Seifi
Scriptwriter: Aboul Saoud el Ebiari
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: Mary Queeny

1959: The Highwayman (Qâti' tarîq)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Hassan el Seifi
Set Design: Robert Scharfenberg
Producer: Semiramis Films

1959: Hassan and Marika (Hasan wa Mârîkâ)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Hassan al Seifi
Producer: El Mansoura Films (Wali & Co.)

1959: Beware of Love! (Ihtaris min el houbb)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director and Scriptwriter: Hassan el Seifi
Set Design: Robert Scharfenberg
Producer: Hassan el Seifi

1959: Love in the Desert (Gharâm fi-l-sahrâ')
Photography: A. Blasterios/ Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Leon Clemovski/ G.Votoshow
Scriptwriter: Alfonso Yasu/ Marino Osiris/ Mohamed Mustafa Sami
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: Mary Queeny

1960: I Accuse! (Innî attahim)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Hassan el Imam Scriptwriter: Mohamed Mustafa Sami/ Hassan el Imam Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: El Mansoura Films (Sayed Wali/ Sayed Tantawi)

1960: A Sad Tune (el Nagham el hazîn)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Hassan el Seifi
Scriptwriter: Mohamed Othman
Sound Engineer: Nivio Orfanelli
Producer: Hassan el Seifi

1961: My Dearest Love! (A'azz el habâyib)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Youssef M’alouf
Scriptwriter: Youssef Eissa/ Ibrahim Aboud/ Barakat
Producer: Barakat

1961: My Dearest Love! (A'azz el habâyib)

1961: The Swindler (el Nassâb)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Niazi Mustafa
Scriptwriter: Abdel Hai Adeeb
Producer: El Ahd el Jadid Films

1961: A Man in my Life (Ragoul fi hayâtî)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Youssef Chahine
Scriptwriter: Abdel Rahman el Sharqawi/ Waguih Naguib
Producer: Samira Ahmed Films
Distribution: El Sharq Films

1961: Fattouma (Fattoumah)
Photography: Alvise Orfanelli
Director: Hassan el Seifi
Scriptwriter: Zaki Saleh
Producer: Dinar Films

Greek-Speaking Films:
1938: An Engagement with Problems (Arravon met' empodion)
1939: Agnoula (Agnoula)
1954: Wind of Hate (Anemos tou misous, O)

References