By Ibrahim Shehata
Following his cinematic legacy with Fellini, Wilder, and Lizzani, Wardal stars in Al-Maza (“Diamond”), directed by Sherif El-Azma for the 17th Sharjah Biennial, opening in January 2027 in the UAE.

Organized by the Sharjah Art Foundation and curated by Angela Harutyunyan and Paula Nascimento, the Biennial explores transformation, identity, and rebirth under the theme “What Remains, Sits Restive.”

In their third collaboration, Wardal and El-Azma revolutionize auteur cinema, dissolving the boundaries between performance, artistic identity, and real life. For the first time, the director appears alongside his star, embodying a radical new cinematic vision.
In the film, Wardal carries with her L’Amore nascosto (“Hidden Love”), a work by the well-known Italian psychologist Maria Malucelli that explores themes of love, inner truth, and personal freedom—making it particularly meaningful for younger generations .

Recently honored with the LA Tribune Film Award and acclaimed at Brazil’s Gramado Film Festival, Wardal continues his international ascent, redefining cinema as an expression of transformation and artistic freedom..