The board of the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) has unveiled the films that will participate in the 45th edition of the festival, scheduled for the period between 13 and 22 November.
Around 194 films from 72 countries will take part in the event, the top cinema gathering in Egypt and the Arab region, according to the board of the CIFF.
It added at a press briefing yesterday that the Palestinian film, Fleeting Dreams, was selected to be screened at the opening of this edition of the festival.
A feature film, Fleeting Dreams is directed and written by Rashid Masharawi. It stars Adel Abu Ayyash, Amelia Masso, and Ashraf Barhoum.
Festival President, Hussein Fahmi, said the board of the CIFF takes pride in screening Fleeting Dreams at the opening of its 45 th edition.
“This is a major cinema work about the Palestinian cause,” he added at yesterday’s press briefing.
He noted that the film also throws light on the suffering people in the Gaza Strip have to go through.
Screening this film at the opening of the festival, Fahmi said, is a great message of support.
“It is our duty to offer this support,” Fahmi said.
The 45th edition of the CIIF was planned to be held earlier, but its board had to postpone it because of the war in Gaza.
Fahmi said it was not easy for the board of the festival to celebrate and roll out the red carpet for filmmakers, actors, and actresses while the Palestinians continued to suffer in Gaza.
The board of the CIFF is expected to honour three influential cinema figures from Egypt and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
These figures are Egyptian director Yousry Nasrallah who will receive the Golden Pyramid Appreciation Award for Lifetime Achievement.
The award will be given to Nasrallah in appreciation of his contributions over the years.
Egyptian actor Ahmed Ezz will also receive the Faten Hamama Award for Excellence.
The board of the festival will also honour Bosnian director and screenwriter Danis Tanovic who is also the chairman of the International Competition Jury.
The CIFF is the oldest cinema event in the region. It is also the most regular regional festival in the Arab region and Africa.
It is unique in being the only festival in the Arab and African region registered under Category A in the International Federation of Producers in Paris.
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