Moved to the U.S. to study acting at the Pasadena Playhouse

Worked with Egyptian-born Italian documentarist Gianni Vernuccio

Feature directing debut, "Baba Amin/Papa Amin"

Credited with discovering actor Omar Sharif, who made his debut in Chahine's "Struggle in the Valley/The Blazing Sky"

Directed the well received "Bab al-Hadid/Cairo Station"

First screen collaboration with writer Naguib Mahfouz, "Gamila Buhrayed/Jamila the Algerian"

Left country for voluntary exile in Lebanon due to conflict with government film authorities

Made first film in Lebanon, "Bayya' al-khawatim/The Ring Seller"

Directed first Egyptian-Soviet co-production, "Al-Nas fi'l-Nil/People of the Nile/Men of the Nile" (released in 1972)

Formed own production comapny, Misr International Productions

Directed first Egyptian-Algerian co-production, "Al Usfur/The Sparrow"

Filmed "Alexandria...Why?" the first installment in what would prove to be an autobiographic quartet

Continued autobiographical filmmaking with "Hadduta misriya/An Egyptian Story"

Wrote (also directed) "Adieu Bonaparte" about Napoleon's Egyptian campaign

Helmed third autobiographical film, "Alexandria, Again and Again"

Scripted (also directed) "The Emmigrant" a story inspired by the Biblical character of Joseph, son of Jacob

Co-wrote and directed a biographical feature about the Muslim philosopher Averroes, "Al Massir/Destiny"

Honored at the Cannes Film Festival for the body of his work

Subject of a retrospective at the New York Film Festival

Helmed "L'Autre/El Akhar/The Other"; screened at the New York Film Festival

Completed the last of his autobiographic films "Alexandria...New York"

Final film before his death, "This Is Chaos"