Writing

Belal Fadl

Born 5 September 1974 · Cairo, Egypt · 52

Belal Fadl was born in 1974 in the Cairo district of Manshiyet al-Bakry. He spent his childhood in Alexandria where his family resides in the district of Mahram Beyk. Fadl studied at the Journalism department at Cairo University’s Media faculty from which he graduated in 1995. Fadl was ranked first in his class and graduated with distinction and honors. Thereafter Fadl worked as a trainee for the “Rose al-Youssif” newspaper, that position was followed by a stint as a secretary editor at the al-Dastoor newspaper until the government temporarily closed that publication towards the start of 1998. Belal Fadl then spent a while writing for newspapers and magazines of the likes of “al-Kawakib”and “Sabah al-Kheir”. Belal also worked for the ART television network before working as the deputy director of MBC’s Cairo office. Moreover, Belal also worked as an editor at the “al-Geel” Egyptian newspaper before taking part in the founding of the “al-Qahira” newspaper which was published by the Ministry of Culture. Belal was the chief editor for the paper for several month before leaving journalism behind altogether and beginning a career as a screenwriter. His first screenplay was released in 2001 after six years of attempts. Belal then returned to journalism and wrote for the al-Dastoor weekly paper after a court ordered its opening in 2005. He edited a weekly publication titled Qalamein and then contributed a weekly column for the “al-Masry al-Youm” newspaper. Thereafter Belal wrote his first television work, a series titled “Heyma”.