Shalaby began her artistic journey in 2000 in the TV series 'Salma Ya Salama' after being discovered by the actress Samiha Ayoub.
El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) has announced that it will honour acclaimed Egyptian actress Menna Shalaby with the Career Achievement Award in recognition of her distinguished career spanning over two decades. The award celebrates Shalaby’s remarkable contributions to both cinema and television and her ability to deliver powerful, memorable performances that have shaped contemporary Arab storytelling. The presentation will take place during the festival’s eighth edition, running from October 16 to 24, 2025.
Menna Shalaby began her artistic journey in 2000 with the television series Salma Ya Salama, after being discovered by veteran actress Samiha Ayoub. She quickly captured attention with her talent, earning the first major film role alongside the late Mahmoud Abdel Aziz in The Magician (Al Saher) (2001), directed by Radwan El Kashif. Her early success continued with Hadith Al-Sabah wal-Masaa (Morning and Evening Talk, 2001), adapted from the novel by Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz and directed by Ahmed Sakr.
Shalaby’s film career flourished through collaborations with Egypt’s most respected directors. She appeared in I Love Cinema (Baheb Elcima) (2004) by Osama Fawzy, Downtown Girls (Banat West Elbalad) (2005) by Mohamed Khan and Chaos (Hiya Fawda) (2007), co-directed by the legendary Youssef Chahine, which screened at the Venice Film Festival. Her partnership with filmmaker Marwan Hamed led to notable roles in The Originals (El Aslyeen) (2017) and Diamond Dust (Torab Almas) (2018), further solidifying her reputation as a versatile and fearless performer.
Over the course of her career, Shalaby has starred in more than 40 films and 20 television series, displaying her range across genres from comedy and romance to intense drama. Her acclaimed TV credits include Sunset Oasis (Wahet ElGhoroub) (2017), Why Not? (Leh Laa) (2021) and Every Week Has a Friday (Fe Kol EsbooYoum Gomaa) (2021), the latter earning her a historic International Emmy Award nomination—the first ever for an Egyptian actress. She also gained widespread praise for her performance in Bitlou’ Al Rouh (2022).
Shalaby’s artistic excellence has been recognised with numerous awards, including Best Leading Actress at the National Egyptian Film Festival for About Love and Passion (An El Eshq Wel Hawa) (2006), Best Actress at the Egyptian Cinema Film Association Festival for Downtown Girls (2007) and Best Actress for Nawara at the Dubai International Film Festival (2015). In 2019, she received the Faten Hamama Excellence Award at the Cairo International Film Festival, honoring her exceptional impact on Egyptian and Arab cinema.
Beyond her work as an actress, Shalaby has served on juries for several major film festivals, including the official competition at the Carthage Film Festival (2014) and the feature narrative competition at El Gouna Film Festival (2024), underscoring her respected status in both regional and international cinema.
Celebrated for her authenticity and range, Shalaby is admired for choosing roles that combine emotional depth and artistic integrity. Off-screen, she actively supports charitable and cultural initiatives and advocates for the transformative power of art.
Reflecting on the honour, Menna Shalaby said: “Acting taught me how to be real. I became every voice so I could finally share my own.”
GFF Artistic director Marianne Khoury praised Shalaby’s evolution as an artist, and stated: “When I first saw Menna Shalaby in Radwan El Kashef’s film in the 90s, her talent burst onto the screen. Thirty years later, that talent has grown exponentially, while she has remained authentic, bold, and spontaneous. Her incredible career reflects her courage, versatility, and deep artistic vision. We are proud to celebrate her remarkable contributions to cinema with this award.”
