The Golden Globes has announced that two of Egypt’s most celebrated cinema artists, Yousra and Hussein Fahmy, will be the recipients of the inaugural Omar Sharif Award, to be presented Nov. 20 at a gala dinner at the Nile Ritz Carlton Hotel in Cairo.

This recognition celebrates their contributions to the growth of entertainment and production in the Middle East. The event, organized by Egypt’s leading lifestyle and entertainment publication Enigma Magazine, takes place during the 45th Cairo International Film Festival.

“We are honored to present the Omar Sharif Award, celebrating outstanding achievements in Arab cinema and paying tribute to Omar’s remarkable legacy as a pioneering Egyptian artist,” said Helen Hoehne, president of the Golden Globes. “The Middle East has long been a thriving center for film and television production, influencing the global stage.”

The award honors the contributions of creatives throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa. Sharif was the first Egypt-born actor to win a Golden Globe award, and ultimately took home three, for his performances in “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Doctor Zhivago”; the award celebrates his legacy in film and on the stage of the Golden Globes over its 80-year history.

The Golden Globes honor and celebrate the global film and television community, with a focus on highlighting rising and established artists around the world. Most recently, the organization honored actress Sharon Stone with its International Icon Award in Turkey. In addition, The Golden Globes continues its long associations with the Cannes Film Festival, Venice International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and the newly added London Film Festival

Yousra has a career spanning decades in film, television, and music. She has earned numerous accolades including the Achievement in Cinema Award at the Arab Women of the Year ceremony in London in 2015. She has also received awards at international film festivals including Cannes, Venice, Beirut, Turin, Taormina and Marrakech.

“I am deeply honored and touched to be a recipient of this award named after my close friend Omar Sharif. It is even more special to share this inaugural award with Hussein Fahmy, an incomparable talent and leader in the Egyptian film industry,” Yousra said. “I have been fortunate to have worked with so many talented directors and craftsmen who have built the Middle East into an incredible center of filmmaking.”

Yousra has also served as honorary president of the Cairo Film Festival, advisory board member at the El Gouna Film Festival and a jury member at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

Hussein Fahmy is a highly respected Egyptian actor who has starred in over 100 films, television and theater productions spanning his five-decade career. He currently serves as president of the Cairo International Film Festival. Fahmy has also served as a United Nations Development Program Goodwill Ambassador for the Arab states and has long worked for humanitarian causes.

“I have been fortunate to have a career that has earned many accolades, but this Omar Sharif Award from the Golden Globes is truly one that I will forever cherish and be grateful for,” Fahmy said. “It is not only a recognition of one man’s career, but also the growth and importance of Egypt and the rest of the Middle East and Africa as a premier filmmaking region.”

Among Fahmy’s many prizes are an honorary award at the Cairo National Festival for Egyptian Cinema, Lifetime Achievement Award at the Murex D’Or and the Creativity Prize for best actor in historical drama at the Cairo Arab Media Festival.

The 82nd annual Golden Globes, the first major award show of the season, will air Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025 (8-11 PM, live ET/5-8 PM, live PT) on the CBS Television Network, and stream on Paramount+ in the U.S. (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs).

Nominations for The Golden Globes will be announced on Monday, December 9, 2024.