The Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) marks its highly anticipated return from November 13 to 22, after a forced pause last year due the war in the Gaza Strip. The effort that has gone into crafting the 45th festival is evident at once from the historically large and varied films that will be screened. The veteran festival is diversifying its film lineup with new special programmes in addition to a solid collection in the main competitions, as well as some bold choices.
Over the years, the festival has proved essential as a cinematic hub made accessible to a rising number of young Egyptian viewers, while at the same time gaining more and more international and regional press attention. But after a year off, the newly appointed festival director Essam Zakaria and his team of programmers and organizers face the challenge of reestablishing the festival’s presence on the map of world cinema.
This 45th edition is dedicated to amplifying Palestinian voices in cinema with two awards paying tribute to Palestinian filmmakers and their powerful stories that depict resilience and the ongoing journey toward self-identity.
Opening the festival is Rashid Masharawi’s Passing Dreams, a poignant narrative following a young Palestinian boy named Sami as he embarks on a journey across Palestine to return a carrier pigeon to its owner. Along his path, Sami encounters fellow Palestinians who share their personal stories, crossing the Green Line (the 1949 Armistice border of Israel) in an intimate exploration of identity and solidarity.
Masharawi will also be presenting his project Ground Zero (2024) a collection of short films documenting and telling stories from the now war torn strip offering a cinematic perspective on the daily lives, hopes and realities of the inhabitants.
The International Competition brings a wide-ranging selection of films from across the globe, with a rich harvest of Middle Eastern titles. Representing Egypt is Spring Came On Laughing by Noha Adel. From the Middle East, several films showcase the region’s diverse storytelling perspectives. 4 O’clock Flowers by Khedija Lemkecher from Tunisia presents a unique narrative from North Africa. Ayse, directed by Türkiye’s Necmi Sancak, promises an intimate portrayal of contemporary Turkish society. Lebanon’s Moondove by Karim Kassem brings yet another compelling viewpoint, exploring themes resonant within Lebanese society, while the opening film Passing Dreams by Rashid Masharawi, a coproduction of Palestine, Sweden, and France, provides a poignant journey across Palestine through the eyes of a young boy.
Highlights of the selected European films include January 2 by Zsófia Szilágyi (Hungary), Maldoror by Fabrice du Welz (Belgium, France), Meet the Barbarians by Julie Delpy (France), The New Year That Never Came by Bogdan Muresanu (Romania), Vittoria by Alessandro Cassigoli and Casey Kauffman (Italy), and When the Phone Rang by Iva Radivojevic (Serbia, United States). And even farther afield we find Blue Sun Palace by Constance Tsang (United States), SnowDrop by Yoshida Kota (Japan), Malu by Pedro Freire (Brazil), Dear Maloti by Shankha Das Gupta (Bangladesh), and the stop-motion animation Memoir of a Snail by Adam Elliot (Australia).
Ten juries will decide on the best films during the 45th edition of the festival. In addition to the usual juries (International Competition, International Critics Week Competition, Short Films Competition), there are seven other juries which will award films from either the main competitions or from special programmes.
It comes as no surprise that CIFF has dedicated two juries to Palestinian cinema which will choose the Palestinian Film Awards and the Gaza Films Awards. Anticipated titles include Holidays in Palestine (2024) by Maxime Lindon, Gazan Tales (2024) by Mahmoud Nabil Ahmed, and A State of Passion: Ghassan Abu Sittah (2024) by Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi.
Regionally, the festival has established an African Film Award Jury in cooperation with the Africa No Filter (ANF) organisation, and an Asian Film Award Jury in cooperation with NETPAC. Attention to Africa cinema is crucial now amidst the rise of anti-immigrant and anti-African sentiment since the increasing flow of refugees from Sudan last year. Mati Diop’s award-winning Dahomey and Mohamed Subahi’s Madaniya are not-to-be-missed features.
The Cairo Classics is by far one of the most important sections in the festival, as it highlights the lost gems of Egyptian cinema, a legacy that for many known and unknown reasons has been neglected over the years. Fourteen Egyptian classics, ranging from the 1960s till the 1990s, have now been restored and are available to be enjoyed, including several films adapted from the novels of Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz. The section will also celebrate global cinematic icons by screening influential works from masters like Satyajit Ray and Sergei Parajanov, in addition to Francis Ford Coppola’s evergreen The Godfather Part II and Wim Wenders’s Paris, Texas.
Defying years of an unofficial, unspoken boycott, this year’s CIFF will screen films from Turkey and Iran, whether fully or partially produced by these countries, marking some openness in the new management team. Another bold decision is the festival’s decision to host Algerian-Italian filmmaker Gasper Noé, who is expected to hold a masterclass.
Facing fierce competition from more lavishly financed festivals like Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival and the privately owned El Gouna Film Festival, CIFF — which takes place in the heart of the Egyptian capital — managed to snatch several award-winning titles which will have their international premieres in Cairo., with films from all over the world in the International Panorama, Midnight screenings, and Out of Competition sections.
Running alongside the film programme is Cairo Industry Days. Its newly appointed head Mohamed Sayed Abdel Rahim has concentrated on three key areas aimed at supporting the Arab film industry. First, panels and workshops with experienced filmmakers from Egypt, the wider Arab region, and beyond focus on sharing knowledge with emerging talent. The second emphasis is on highlighting newer filmmakers who have quickly gained recognition, and facilitating exchanges between them and festival attendees. Third, a series of workshops provides training in core skills like screenwriting and acting, with a particular focus on sound design — a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of film production.
Additionally, Cairo Industry Connection offers targeted support for fiction and documentary projects in various stages of development. Of the 18 projects selected, eight are Egyptian, with others representing the Levant, North Africa, Sudan, and the Gulf highlighting its diverse regional representation.
