Cairo International Film Festival has announced that 42 countries including seven Arab states will participate with 150 films in the 26th Cairo International Film Festival to kick off on October 15, 2002.
The head of the film festival, Mr. Sherif Shoubashi, told AFP that an international show would be organized at the opening ceremony dedicated to the late actress Suad Hosni, the Arab screen Cinderella. “This year’s festival will witness more activities through special celebrations to be carried out at the Pyramids, inside Saladdin Fortress and at the Egyptian Opera House in honor of the festival guests,” al Shoubashi added.
The festival will also be honoring well known figures in the cinema industry, “British director (of Indian origin) Ismael Merchant, ‘The Greek Zorba’ film’s director Michael Kakoyiannis, who has shot his first film ‘Winds in Athens’ in Nahas studio in Alexandria, and Spanish director Carlos Sawra,” al Shoubashi said.
Shoubashi asserted that among the festival’s most important activities would be the main conference to be entitled “Problems and Horizons of the Film Production and Marketing in the Countries of the South”, which is hoped to open new horizons for this cinema industry to counter the massive western film monopoly.
Ivory Merchant Production Company will also be honored at the festival through screening some of its international prize-winning films.
Not denying the important role of women, the festival will screen a number of films directed by leading female film directors including Iranians Tahmina Milani and Bouran Darkhashandah, Greek Laya Georgo, Indian Iberna Sin, Danish Elizabeth Rigard and many others. - Albawaba.com
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