Hussein Fahmy has announced that five of Egypt’s stars have refused to be honored in this year’s Cairo Film Festival, including the ‘Lady of Romance’ Faten Hamama, reported Agence France Presse.
Fahmy, who had asked that the actors RSVP, has not yet received any replies even though the festival will commence on November 7th, 2000.
According to the news agency, Zbeida Tharwat, Majida, Nadia Lutfi and Ahmad Ramzi also refused the honor.
However, Fahmi, who is the chairman of the festival, said that Italian actress Sophia Loren, and American actor John Malkovich, who will also be honored this year, have accepted invitations.
Fahmi added that Malkovich will be speaking to Egyptian reporters about his latest film Being John Malkovich.
In a press conference, the actor, who chairs the festival, also announced that this year’s event will honor the martyr of the ongoing Palestinian ‘Al Aqsa Intifada.’
“The festival will declare its outrage at the atrocities taking place against the Palestinian people and children. This will be evident throughout the festival and in all its functions,” said Fahmi.
Meanwhile, he also said that the festival, which hosts 120 films from 44 countries this year, will show two movies; the first being Fadwa A Palestinian Poet’s Story, directed by Liana Badr in 1999, and depicts the life story of the famous great Arab poet, Fadwa Touqan.
The second film to be shown is Al Zaitouna (The Olive Tree), which tells the story of Israel’s drive to deprive Palestinian farmers of their livelihood by uprooting the olive trees upon which the farmers depend for their income.
Fahmi also said that the two films that will be shown for the official part of the festival, which includes a total of 18 movies from 14 countries, will be Al Asifa (The Storm), starring Yusra and Hani Salama and Atash (Thirst), a Moroccan movies starring Abdullah Didan and Mona Vito.
At the international level, Fahmi revealed that “the festival has chosen director/producer Roland Jovi to head the judicial committee. The committee also includes Egyptian actress Lubna Abdul Aziz, Egyptian director Sharif Arafa, Algerian producer/director Ahmad Rashidi, Iranian director Abbas Kabarustami, Italian writer/director Alisandro Di Latre, Hungarian producer Peter Bakshu, Russian actress Natalia Bilakhvosvikova, Jabanese director Song Ciang Bo, and American critic David Ansin.” – Albawaba.com.
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
