VENICE, Italy: Omar Sharif, whose devilishly handsome looks delighted female 粉丝 decades ago, has returned to the big screen at the Venice Film Festival Thursday in a film about an elderly man's encounter with a woman he loved in his youth.

"The Traveler," an Egyptian film 由 first-time feature director Ahmed Maher, is vying for the festival's Golden Lion award.

Maher told reporters he came up with the project nine years ago.

"It's a dream to have Omar Sharif in the cast," Maher said.

The film goes over three days in the life of 80-year-old Hassan, played 由 the 77-year-old Sharif. After a chance...