2003 Al-Ataa Award Recipients

Sanaa Debsi

“We have to be part of new beginnings that take place around us every day.”

In 1941 Sanaa Debsi was born in Aleppo Syria, a city famous for art and history. She began her acting career as a student in 1957, participating in plays, folkdance and chorus. Her teachers and fellow students recognized Sanaa almost immediately as a shining beacon, which led to important roles in local Aleppo theaters.

She acted in leading roles in The Sun Rises Tomorrow and War, which received critical acclaim, and traveled to Cairo to perform at the famous Azbakieh Theater.

She joined the National Theater of Syria at a very young age with her parent’s approval and started her illustrious career in theater, radio, television and film.

On stage she played leading roles in Moliere’s The Bourgeois Gentlemen, Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan, Bernard Shaw’s Man of Destiny, Shakespeare’s King Lear and many other productions.

In radio she was one of the most important pillars in many series, programs and plays. In television she performed many distinguished roles, including:

• Quloub Khadraa
• Subhan Allah
• Takhanif
• Haret Al-Kasr
• Sirat Al-Jalali
• Albusataa’
• Bab Al-Hadid
• Shajart Al-Dur

In film she joined Tawfik Saleh in The Dupes and Riyad Shaya’s Alligah and Basal Khateeb’s Construction of a City.

Salim Sabri

“I am just starting and there is a lot to give.”

Salim was born in Muhajreen, Damascus, Syria in 1940. As a young schoolboy his talent for painting and sculpting became apparent. As a young man, he developed a great interest and love for the stage and began to act in and direct small local theater productions.

In 1958 his amateur theater group attracted the attention of the famous impresario Sabri Ayyad, who suggested the formation of a professional group called Ansar Almasrah. Thus began the first professional step in Salim’s long career.

In 1960 Salim joined the National Theater of Syria, and at the same time, he made his directorial television debut on Syrian Television. He would subsequently dedicate his time and talent to this new medium.

Salim was selected to join the Kuwaiti Production Company to produce the famous series Salamtek in 1980. Six years later he returned to Damascus and made contributions as an actor, director and producer to many distinguished television productions, such as Shajarat Al-Narenj and Quloub Khadraa.

More recently Salim played landmark roles in TV series:

• Khan Al-Harir
• Qwas wa Qazah
• Zikryat Al-Zaman
• Al-Fousoul Al-Arba
• Radm Al-Asateer
• Sihr Al-Shark
• Mout Al-Yasimin
• Alrajoul Seen
• Al-Khawali
• Al-Fawares
• Abna Al-Qhr
• Tilk Al-Ayam