The Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation Cultural Forum will host acclaimed Syrian writer and director Dr. Mamdouh Hamada on Saturday evening at the Foundation’s headquarters in Jabal Amman for a discussion titled “The Story in the Crucible of Writing: The Art of Dramatic Writing.”
For Hamada, one of Syria’s most prominent screenwriters and novelists, dramatic writing is more than a profession—it has been a lifelong vocation spanning more than three decades of screenplay writing.
Audiences across the Arab world know Hamada through a wide range of successful television productions, including A’ila Sitt Nujoum (Six-Star Family), A’ila Saba’ Nujoum (Seven-Star Family), Batal Min Hatha Al-Zaman (A Hero of Our Time), Buq’at Daw’ (Spotlight), Alamkshouf, Shu Hal-Haki, Dayaa Dayaa (The Lost Village), and Al-Khirba, among other notable works.
Among his most influential productions is Buq’at Daw’ (Spotlight), widely regarded as one of the landmark works of Syrian and Arab satirical comedy. First launched in 2001, the series introduced an innovative sketch-based format, with each episode presenting standalone stories that addressed social, political, and cultural issues. Its sharp commentary on bureaucracy, corruption, social inequality, family relations, education, media, and public services resonated strongly with audiences, combining humor with social critique.
The discussion, moderated by Nizar Al-Hmoud, Director of the Abdul Hameed Shoman Public Library, coincides with Hamada’s participation in two training workshops: “The Journey of a Text from Literature to Screenplay” and “Introduction to Screenwriting.” The workshops are part of the second edition of the Al-Shams Academy for Theatre Arts, a project supported by Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation’s Cultural Grants Program.