A Journey of Passion

If cinema can give so much delight to movie buffs and audiences alike, how much pleasure then do its makers enjoy every time a groundbreaking movie is produced? At the latest edition of Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), filmmakers and actors from around the world celebrated the 40th anniversary of the biggest film festival in Egypt and one of the most acclaimed around the world.

Branded a “landmark” edition by the head of festival Mohamed Hefzy, CIFF opened on November 20 in the main hall of the Cairo Opera House and was attended by a notable cast of stars and filmmakers from Egypt and around the world, in the presence of the Minister of Culture Ines Abdel-Dayem, Minister of Social Solidarity GhadaWaly and Minister of Tourism Rania el-Mashat. Speaking at the opening Hefzy revealed how specially challenging it was to organize this special edition, as its management was striving for excellence. “I have to thank all those who contributed to this edition, Minister Ines Abdel Dayem, the Festival’s Artistic Director Youssef Cherif Rizkallah, and our sponsors. . . . Without their help, the edition would have never seen the light,” Hefzy said.

Taking audiences back in time, the ceremony started with a short documentary about the history of Egyptian cinema narrated by the veteran actor, singer and TV presenter Samir Sabry, who presented CIFF’s first edition. As he shared with the audience his very long relationship with the festival, since it was established by the renowned cinema critic Kamal el-Mallakh, Sabry shared a surprising piece of insider information about the sponsors of the first edition. “Abdel Halim Hafez andWarda donated the profits of one of their concerts to the festival; and Nagwa Fouad managed to convince a few hotels to host the events,’’ Sabry recounted. He concluded by paying tribute to CIFF’s former presidents Saad Eddin Wahba, Hussein Fahmy, Sherif el Shobashy, Magda Wasif and Ezzat Abu Ouf, and the current president Hefzy, who is also the youngest to head the festival. The veteran entertainer then gave the stage to actor Maged el-Kedwany who presented the rest of the festival’s events. “Cinema is a blessing from God,’’ Kedwany said as he took the stage.

Several inspirational speeches were made, among them that of famed Egyptian actor Sherif Mounir who started with an amazing drums performance then went on to speak about his special relationship with the festival, as a loyal attendee of each edition and previous jury member. “Egyptian cinema is a comprehensive art that is connected with all other forms of art, that is why we call cinema the seventh art,” Mounir reiterated.

Starlet Sherine Reda also made an emotional speech, sharing how anxious she felt standing on the huge stage in front of all such great stars. “The cinema hall is the only place where people do not fear darkness because cinema inspires their feelings and emotions; it is the only place where our ideas can take shape,’’ Reda said.

Minister Abdel Dayem voiced similar thoughts, sharing sincere hopes that CIFF would contribute to promoting our art and sharing our vision around the world. “Cinema takes us to different worlds; cinema gives life, and it takes from life, and I hope for this festival to be an opportunity for sharing life’s experiences,” Abdel Dayem said.

This year, the festival was dedicated to celebrate Russian cinema. The first award was presented by actress Nelly Karim to Russian director Pavel Lungin, who has been nominated for 300 international awards of which he received 12, including a Cannes award in 1990. Lugin thanked the festival’s management for “the honor,” adding that Cairo deserves to be the capital of world cinema.

Actress Leila Elwi then presented the Faten Hamama Award to British film director and screenwriter Peter Greenway who talks about how he felt lucky to have made 60 films in 40 years, adding, however, that cinema changes with time and that we must keep looking forward to make cinema that keeps up with reality.

The American film Green Book was chosen to screen at the opening ceremony.

Currently competing for the 2019 Oscars, the film is directed by Peter Varley and stars Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali. It is based on a true story set at the height of racial discrimination in the US in the 1960s where an Italian-born driver with racial tendencies takes a black-skinned pianist on a tour around the southern states where racism reached its highest levels. The film landed the Audience Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.

CIFF paid special attention to the sound and images of the presented films, purchasing new screens and screening films using 4k technology. It also showed for the very first time 14 or 15 international premieres. The Cairo Film Forum program was expanded to include a larger number of films; and two new awards were launched to give greater opportunities for more films to win.