By Mohammed El Baali
Albawaba.com - Cairo
The Cairo International Film Festival will celebrate its 25th anniversary October 9-20 with the participation of a bevy of glittering international stars and a string of screenings.
The festival head, Hussein Fahmi, hopes that British actress Kate Winslet, American actor Danny Glover, British actor Jeremy Irons and French actress Sophie Marceau will participate in this year’s event.
Among the special programs scheduled for the anniversary festival is one entitled “25 Years of Festival, 25 Years of Arab Cinema,” during which 9 Arabic films will be screened. These include Nahla and Qala’ah from Algeria, Liali Eben Awa, Al Lail and Combars from Syria, and Uboor and Al Haemoun from Tunisia.
Another event entitled Aflam Al Haram Al Thahabi (Golden Pyramid Films) will be held, during which 10 recipients of the festival’s grand prize will be screened. These include Beautiful Thing from the US, Al Mansiyyoun (Forgotten) and Tanhidah from China, Hatta Isha’ren Akhar (Until Further Notice) from Palestine/Holland, Colonel Shabir, Wasifat Al Safina Titanic and Immense Plight from France, Flora’s Story from Philippines, Tuffahah (Apple) from Egypt and Erhabiyyah (Terrorist) from India.
Over 120 films from 35 countries will participate in the festival. These include 20 countries’ entries in the international contest:
Inshallah Yawm Al Ahad (If God Wills on Sunday) from Algeria.
Pauline and Paulette from Belgium.
Muthakkarat Murahiqah (Adolescent Memoirs) from Egypt.
Hulm Al Hurriyah (Freedom Dream) from Burkina Faso.
Kalil Minal Hubb (Little Love) from France.
Doua Al Qamar (Moon’s Light) from Germany.
La Ahad Yakhsar Ila Al Abad (Nobody Loses Forever) from Greece.
Jazeera Khassh (Special Island) from Hungary.
Banat Hathal Qarn (Girls of This Century) from India.
Al Nisf Al Mukhtafi (Disappearing Half) from Iran.
Didh Al Rih (Into the Wind) from Italy.
Taif Nizar (Nizar Spectrum) from Morocco.
Tabour Al Mawt (Death Line) from Philippines
Hubb Bila Amal (Love Without Hope) from China.
Qubulat Kul Yawm (Kisses Every Day) from Romania.
Al Zaman Al Jamil (Beautiful Time) from Russia.
Morlang from Holland.
Abuzer Kadayif from Turkey.
Shibh Mashhour (Semi-Famous) from the US.
The festival management gave Syria the option of selecting one of the two films, Qamaran Wa Zaytounah (Two Moons and Olive) and Zahr Al Rumman (Pomegranate Flowers).
As part of the Egyptian cinematography theme, eight films will be screened for the Arab and foreign guests to familiarize them with that genre. These include Ashab Wala Business (Friends or Business), Africano, Ayyam Al Sadat (Sadat Days), Al Sullam Wal Thuaban (Ladder and Snake), Asrar Al Banat (Girls’ Secrets), Al A’shiqan (Two Lovers), Film Thaqafi (Cultural Film) and Al Nazer (Headmaster).
