Legendary Egyptian film-maker Chahine dies

Egyptian film-maker Youssef Chahine, Arab cinema's most celebrated director, died on Sunday aged 82 after several weeks in a coma, his friend and fellow director Khaled Yussef said.

Chahine was flown back to Cairo on July 17 after a month-long stay in Paris where he underwent surgery after suffering a brain haemorrhage and falling into a coma. He was being cared for at the Maadi Military hospital in south Cairo.

"Youssef Chahine died this morning at 3.30," said Yussef, who co-directed Chahine's latest film Chaos in 2007.

Chahine won official plaudits for his pioneering role in Egypt's film industry and was awarded the Cannes film festival's 50th anniversary lifetime achievement award in 1997.

He never shied away from controversy during his long career, criticising US foreign policy as well as Egypt and the Arab world.

Chahine made his first film in Egypt in 1950 and it was there that he also discovered and launched the career of Omar Sharif, who shot to international stardom with Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago.