VENICE, 30 August 2003 — Veteran Egyptian actor Omar Sharif, whose film about religious and cultural tolerance is one of the hits of the Venice Film Festival, said yesterday he could not see a peaceful solution to the Middle East conflict in his lifetime.
“I’m not optimistic. In fact I’m pessimistic. I don’t see a swift solution, at least not in my lifetime,” he told a press conference at the festival. “Perhaps in my son’s lifetime, but not in mine.” Later, Sharif, screen heartthrob of “Doctor Zhivago” and “Lawrence of Arabia”, received a Golden Lion lifetime achievement award yesterday. Sharif said he was “very much honored” by the award.
“This is my 50th year as a professional actor, and I think that is already worth an award — just to survive 50 years,” he said.
“I can’t express what an honor it will be to present the award this evening,” said Moritz de Hadeln, the director of the film festival.
“He is the symbol of a man who has always been in favor of religious dialogue.”
Sharif said he had quit acting before his latest film because of the difficulty in getting suitable role. He presented his latest film, about love and religious tolerance, at the festival yesterday. “This is a comeback,” he said.
