Unfortunately, around 20 minutes in, the audio got misaligned during digitization. It's still watchable just not as smooth as a viewing experience. I can't fix it, sorry.

Filmmaker Michal Goldman profiles the Egyptian singer, a national heroine to her fans; Omar Sharif and Mona Zakaria narrate.

Umm Kulthum was an Egyptian singer, songwriter, and film actress active from the 1920s to the 1970s. She was given the honorific title Kawkab al-Sharq. Umm Kulthum was known for her vocal ability and unique style

Umm Kulthum is one of the, or perhaps the, most powerful woman singer of all times. She was born to a poor family. Her father wanted a son, but she learned music while her younger brother was being trained by her father. Eventually, she was able to support her family.
President Naser, leader of the Egyptian Revolution, who died in 1970, was one of her biggest supporters, and she supported the revolution against the British in her songs.
4 million people attended her funeral when she died, and she is responsible for helping shaping the modern state of Egypt.

Narrated by Omar Sharif, Umm Kulthum, A Voice Like Egypt is the first documentary to bring Umm Kulthum to an American audience. The film puts her life in the context of the epic story of 20th century Egypt as it shook off colonialism and confronted modernity. The camera explores her astonishing connection with her audience, taking us into her village in the Nile Delta, and into the cafes, markets, and streets of Cairo where she lived and worked. From the Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz to a 12-year-old girl in an outdoor restaurant, people speak about the role Umm Kulthum's music has played in their lives, and sing their favorite songs for the camera.
—Arab Film Distribution

A special-interest documentary about Egypt's (and the Arab world's) legendary superstar, a singer-performer in a category all her own: Umm Kulthum, perhaps the greatest singer who ever lived. Omar Sharif narrates while we are shown bits of her life story, interviews, live performances, and the Egyptian public's reaction to this legend, coming from all levels of Egyptian society.
—GMeleJr

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