Egyptian media sources have revealed that the family of the late artist Abdel Halim Hafez has filed an official lawsuit against the makers of “The White Nightingale”, accusing those responsible of insulting the artistic and historical biography of the Arab singing symbol and distorting its image to the general public.
According to the details of the lawsuit, the family requested that the exhibit be discontinued, claiming that the exhibit misuses his artistic name without reference to his heirs or legal recognition, does not reflect the true facts of the late artist’s career, and contains dramatic treatment and undocumented events that affect his personal and moral rights.
In a legal memorandum, the family confirmed that Abdel Halim Hafez is a symbol of Arab art, which does not belong only to his family, but rather forms part of Arab cultural memory, stressing that presenting his biography inaccurately would have a negative impact on his history and on his wider audience for subsequent generations.
This judicial action was taken in view of the growing controversy surrounding dramas dealing with the biographies of late artists, especially the increasing number of works that rely on free dramatic treatment without strict adherence to reliable historical sources.
It is expected that the competent judicial authorities will consider this case at a future meeting and decide on the legality of the use of Abdel Halim Hafez’s artistic biography, the request for cancellation of performances and possible compensation in this case, which is likely to reopen the file on the rights of the heirs and the restrictions on the artistic treatment of biographical works in Arab theater.
Egyptian media sources revealed that the family of the late artist Abdel Halim Hafez has filed an official lawsuit against the author of the work “The White Nightingale”, accusing the officials of damaging the artistic and historical heritage of the Arab singing icon and distorting his image in the public eye.
According to the details of the lawsuit, the family requested that the show be stopped from airing, believing that in addition to misusing his name without consulting his heirs or obtaining legal artistic consent, the content displayed included dramatic treatment and undocumented events that did not reflect the true facts of the late artist’s career, and violated his moral and literary rights.
In a legal memorandum, the family stressed that Abdel Halim Hafez is an icon of Arab art, which does not belong only to his family, but is part of Arab cultural memory, and that presenting his biography inaccurately would have a negative impact on his history and his audience for generations to come.
The lawsuit comes amid growing controversy over the growing number of theatrical productions about the lives of deceased artists, particularly those that rely on liberal dramatic treatment without strict adherence to reliable historical sources.
The relevant judicial authorities will consider the case at a future meeting to determine the legality of the use of Abdel Halim Hafez’s artistic biography and rule on requests for suspension and potential compensation, which is likely to reopen the case regarding the rights of heirs and restrictions on the artistic treatment of biographical works in Arab drama.
