Singers and actors from all over the Arab world met up yesterday at the 16th Annual International Film Festival of Alexandria and watched Franco Zifferelli’s masterpiece Tea With Mussolini.
Only one week before the festivities began, the administration, alongside various critics had voiced their disapproval of the choice of movie.
Those who opposed did so in light of the movie’s ‘pro Jewish’ storyline.
However, the Egyptian Censorship Board left the decision up to a special judicial committee for the festival, stating that they would know if it was a suitable movie or not.
Tea With Mussolini, stars American songstress and actress, Cher, and British actress Judy Dench.
It depicts some of Ziferelli’s life during the 1930s in Italy, at the beginning of World War II.
According to the MENA news agency, the festival’s opening included a great performance by the Egyptian Opera Ballet.
Following the presentation, honorary awards were presented to various specialists in the cultural genre and the festival’s judicial committee was introduced to attendees.
As scheduled, the festival’s first honorary award went to the late actor Hussein Riyadh, in memory of his 100th birthday. Egyptian actor Nour El Sharif received the award on behalf of Riyadh’s family, who live outside the country and could not make it to the event.
Two judicial committees have been established for the festival, one of which is headed by Egyptian mega-starlet Yusra. The second committee names actress Samiha Ayoub as its chairwoman – Albawaba.com.
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