CAIRO 2022

Festival Reviews

Riverbed

by Deborah Young | Nov 25, 2022 | Cairo, CAIRO 2022, Festivals, Spotlight

Lebanese actress Carole Abboud brings a sense of wistful loneliness to the role of an independent woman estranged from her adult daughter in Bassem Breche’s sketch-like feature debut.

Cairo 2022: The Verdict

by TheFilmVerdict | Nov 25, 2022 | CAIRO 2022, Festivals

A modern and glam festival continues under new management.

Cairo 2022: The Awards

by TheFilmVerdict | Nov 25, 2022 | Cairo, CAIRO 2022, Festivals

Firas Khoury’s notable feature debut ‘Alam’ about Palestinian teens living in Israel fought off the competition to win Cairo’s main prize.

The Family

by Jay Weissberg | Nov 24, 2022 | Cairo, CAIRO 2022, Festivals

The toxic privilege of Algeria’s ministerial elite is the target of Merzak Allouache’s fitfully successful mix of class satire and political thriller.

Far from the Nile

by Jay Weissberg | Nov 23, 2022 | Cairo, CAIRO 2022, Festivals

Cairo awarded its best documentary prize to this broadly appealing fly-on-the-wall documentary about a group of musicians from countries bordering the Nile who go on a demanding hundred-day-tour of the U.S.

The Nightsiren

by Carmen Gray | Nov 22, 2022 | Cairo, CAIRO 2022, Festivals

A past tragedy haunts the Slovak woodlands in this eerie mystery-horror in which a woman labelled a witch by villagers reclaims her power.

Alam

by Jay Weissberg | Nov 22, 2022 | Cairo, CAIRO 2022, Festivals, Spotlight

Writer-director Firas Khoury refreshingly normalizes the lives of a group of Palestinian teens in Israel and then adds a political overlay in this notable debut that deserves more attention than accorded in Toronto.

Light Upon Light

by Deborah Young | Nov 22, 2022 | Cairo, CAIRO 2022, Festivals

Danish director and anthropologist Christian Suhr’s feature documentary offers a respectful yet compelling peek into the surprisingly diverse communities of Sufi worshippers within the Islamic tradition of Egypt.

Something You Said Last Night

by Deborah Young | Nov 18, 2022 | Cairo, CAIRO 2022, Festivals, Spotlight

Luis De Filippis’ laid-back tale about an embattled but loving family on vacation pops with a riveting Carmen Madonia as the trans sister.

19B

by Jay Weissberg | Nov 18, 2022 | CAIRO 2022, Festivals

Ahmad Abdalla’s latest is a handsomely produced, effective drama about a redundant Cairene house guard, the sole resident of a dilapidated mansion, trying to stave off the encroaching collapse of his world.

Houria

by Deborah Young | Nov 17, 2022 | Cairo, CAIRO 2022, Festivals

Young actress Lyna Khoudri sparkles as an Algerian dance student forced to reorder her priorities after she is physically assaulted in an emotion-clad feminist drama directed by Mounia Meddour (‘Papicha’).