But, something else happened at that party that kickstarted El Geddawy’s career. Director Henry Barakat, who was in attendance that night, took notice of El Geddawy and chose her to be a part of his 1959 film ‘Do’aa Al Karwan’ (‘The Nightingale's Prayer), in the role of Khadija, the daughter of the sheriff, opposite the popular Egyptian actress Faten Hamama. Egypt had submitted the film for Academy Awards consideration in the cateogry of Best Foreign Language Film. Though it was not chosen as an official nomination, it did get an award of recognition from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.