Actress and director Selma Hayek will present the UK premiere of her animated film, The Prophet, based on Kahlil Gibran's tale, as part of Southbank Centre’s Women of the World festival on International Women’s Day, March 8.
Hayek sees the message of the book as particularly important to women, because it is “about the courage to speak up, to believe you are worth being listened to,” according to an interview in The Guardian.
Kahlil Gibran’s classic tale has sold over 100m copies worldwide, in 50 languages, since it was first published in 1923. “And yet it has never had publicity," says Hayek, who is Mexican of Lebanese heritage.
“It’s been read by generation after generation without ever really having fame. It’s not a religious book, it’s poetic and philosophical. It’s a book written by an Arabic man, which unites all religions. That itself I think is important.”
Hayek co-founded Chime for Change, in aid of women’s and children’s health and education two years ago. The organisation helps to build schools for Syrian refugees in Turkey and Lebanon. She is also helping to raise financial support for a female inventor who has created an inexpensive incubator for under-resourced maternity wards in the developing world.
Now aged 48, Hayek played Frida Kahlo in the 2002 biopic based on the life of the Mexican artist. For her much-acclaimed performance, she earned Oscar, Golden Globe and Bafta nominations. She has five films scheduled for release in 2015.
