Menna Shalaby.
CAIRO – 20 November 2019: The 41st edition of Cairo international film festival kicked off on November 20 with a short movie about the late great film critic and the festival artistic director Youssef Sherif Rizkallah.
‘’Welcome to the 41st edition of Cairo International Film Festival’’ recounted Egyptian star Khaled el Sawy. Elsawy added that Cairo International Film festival will remain a youthful festival. The Egyptian star expressed his honor to host this edition from the festival
‘’Youssef Sherif Rizkallah was the cinematic encyclopedia of our generation and our YouTube’’ Elsawy recounted.
Elsawy added that cinema is the small life we create to be able to live our real life. The funny Egyptian actor performance on stage was characterized by its sense of humor.
He received a phone call from a producer on the attendees and asked the attendees whether to go or not. Khaled el sawy spoke about an imaginary argument between a director and scriptwriter whether the movie will achieve high revenues or participate in the festivals
‘’ The best moments in the life of any actor are those between the word action and the word cut’’ Elsawy recounted.
He added ‘’We will die and these moments will live forever.’’
At the beginning of his speech Egyptian star Ahmed Dawoud welcomed the attendees. He expressed how his old dream was to participate in Cairo International Film Festival.
‘’I wear this Mexican hat to welcome one of the best cinema industries in the world which is the Mexican one’’ Dawoud added.
The Egyptian star added that Mexican cinema deserves to be honoured. Cairo Intetnational Film Festival screened a short movie about Mexican cinema. ‘’Now I will present my friend Dina el Sherbiny’’ Dawoud said.
‘’I am so happy and scared that I am now on the stage of Cairo international film festival’’ El Sherbiny said.
Elsherbiny added that Cairo international film festival is the first Arab festival to sign 50*50 agreement.
CIFF screens a short video about female Egyptian pioneer filmmakers. After Elsherbiny commented ‘’Youssef Chahine said before if you need a true opportunity in cinema only a woman can give it to you’’
Famed Egyptian actress Asma Abulyazid sings a song about women empowerment on the stage of Cairo International Film Festival
Head of Cairo International Film Festival Mohamed Hefzy started his speech in the festival opening ceremony by apologizing to all the producers on behalf of Khaled el Sawy after the latest gave a sarcastic dialogue about producers.
“I apologize on behalf of the Egyptian minister of culture Inas Abdel Dayem she wasn’t able to attend as she represents Egypt in a conference abroad” Hefzy said.
Head of Cairo International Film Festival added that the festival management exerted a lot of effort in this edition to appear in this honourable way.
”This year we have 153 movies from 63 counties which is a record in the history of Cairo international film festival” Hefzy added.
Hefzy recounted that Cairo International Film Festival is not just an opening and closing ceremonies but it houses a number of workshops, seminars and panel discussions.
“Mexican cinema is a very important experience that is similar to the Egyptian cinema” he added.
The jury head of the international competition Stephen Gaghan came on stage and presented the rest of the international competition jury members.
Egyptian Tunisian star Hend Sabry gave her friend and collegeaue the hearthrob Menna Shalaby the Faten Hamamma Excellence Award.
‘’Menna you deserve this award and I am so proud of you’’ Sabry commented.
At the beginning of her speech, Shalaby said that it meant a lot to her to receive the award from her friend Hend Sabry.
‘’I dedicate this award to all the directors whom I worked with and learnt from’’ Shalaby said.
Shalaby explained that she is so honoured to be part of the Egyptian cinema industry
‘’I dedicate this award to my mother who helped me to achieve this success’’ Shalaby said.
The visionary and legendary director, screenwriter, actor and animator, Terry Gilliam received the Faten Hamama Excellence Award from Cairo International Film Festival head Mohamed Hefzy.
Gilliam expressed his happiness with the award revealing that when he first knew about the award he felt it is is still too early because he feels himself young but when he looked at the mirror he discovered that he grew old.
Gilliam said that Cairo is a city full of energy and that filmmaking is a magical thing despite the fact that it is very tiring and requires much effort.
‘’You all look dazzling and you have done a great job Hefzy’’ the Egyptian diva Yousra said.
Veteran Egyptian director Sherif Arafa expressed his happiness with the Faten Hamama award he received from Cairo International Film Festival, revealing that how the attendees welcomed him was the best thing that happened to him in his life.
''I am not used to stand in front of the camera I am used to stand behind camera'' Arafa said,
The renowned Egyptian director thanked his father the late great director Saad Arafa who taught him a lot.
''Waheed Hamed for me was like the light that came out of darkness'' Arafa added in his speech. Arafa thanked as well the great star Adel Emam who strongly believed in his talent.
'' I have to thank a great woman who supported me a lot, my wife I love my daughters and son and keen to leave to them a legacy to be proud of'' Arafa recounted.
At the end of his speech Arafa wished to continue making movies till the end of his life. Cairo International Film Festival presents a video about the late great Ezzat Abou Auf
‘’Haitham Ahmed Zaki my friend was kind ,sensitive and so tender and I am sure he is now in a better place’’ Elsherbiny said.
The acting as the artistic director of the festival Ahmed Shawky said that the the opening ceremony movie is the long awaited movie of the year that all is looking forward to watch which is “The Irishman”.
‘’We thank Netflix that helped us to get this important movie’’ Shawky added.
Film industry heavyweights made it down to the red carpet at Cairo International Film Festival which kicked off on November 20.
Among the celebrities who attended the festival Mona Zaki, Ahmed Helmy, Ahmed Dawoud, Yousra, Khaled Selim, Laila Elwi, Bushra, Hend Sabry, Ola Roushdy, Hussein Fahmy, Nour, Shereen Reda, Lekaa el Khamesi, Rogena, Nadia el Gendy, Menna Shalaby, Sherif Arafa, Terry Gilliam, among others.
Famed Egyptian stars Khaled el Sawy, Dina el Sherbiny and Ahmed Dawoud hosted the opening ceremony of the 41st edition of Cairo International Film Festival.
The 41st edition of Cairo International Film Festival will last till November 29. This edition is expected to hold a lot of surprises executed by its head the creative filmmaker Mohamed Hefzy, its artistic director Ahmed Shawky and its executive director Omar Kassem.
Mexico was chosen to be the country in focus of this year edition.
Cairo International Film Festival becomes the first Arab festival and second African to sign the Gender Parity Pledge 5050×2020, joining this commitment launched during Cannes Film Festival in 2018.
The festival is committed to promote gender equality and transparency, during its 42nd edition in November 2020.
Egyptian star Sherine Reda is a jury member in Best Arab Film Award, famed Egyptian actress Hanan Motawie is a jury member in Cinema of Tomorrow jury and Egyptian Hearthrob actress Hana Shiha is a jury member in Horizons of Arab Cinema Competition.
The 41st edition of Cairo International Film Festival is dedicated to the festival artistic director the late great film critic Youssef Sherif Rizakallah.
The festival prepared a film about Rizakallah to honour his long fruitful cinematic career that enriched Egyptian cinema.
DMC channels sponsors Cairo International Film Festival's 41st edition. DMC broadcasted the opening ceremony and will do the same in the closing in addition to the daily messages of the events.
President of DMC channels Hisham Soliman previously explained that the channel has introduced new coverage methods to convey the real atmosphere of the festival’s events from inside the cinemas. The channel will present a diversified program of the festival's events and will highlight daily events through news broadcast on the screen and on social media platforms.
During the period from Nov. 21 to 26, the festival will hold the second edition of Cairo Industry Days, which provides professionals with opportunities for partnership and networking with the international film community, in addition to attending seminars, workshops and discussion panels.
Valuable prizes will be awarded to winning film projects in the development and post-production stages, which are valued up at $200,000.
Comments
Leave a Comment