Cairo International Film Festival announced the top 25 Egyptian Films from 2001 to 2025, featuring timeless classics and modern favourites from 'I love Cinema' to 'Seeking Haven For Mr. Rambo'
The Cairo International Film Festival has unveiled its list of the 25 best Egyptian films from 2001 to 2025, curated in collaboration with the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) and the Egyptian Critics Association.
Timed with FIPRESCI’s centenary, the selection brings together arthouse milestones, popular favourites, and critically acclaimed works that have defined Egyptian cinema over the past quarter century. A commemorative book of critical essays about the films will be launched alongside the festival, which runs from November 12th to the 21st.
Here is the full selection to add on to your Watch Later list...
I Love Cinema (2004) - بحب السيما
Osama Fawzy’s coming-of-age film follows young Naim, whose obsession with the silver screen clashes with the strict confines of his family home. Both playful and subversive, it’s a portrait of childhood shaped by cinema itself.
Message from the Sea (2010) - رسائل بحر
In Daoud Abdel Sayed’s lyrical drama, Yehia (Asser Yassin), a stuttering romantic, searches for love and belonging against the vast backdrop of Alexandria’s shoreline. The sea becomes both witness and mirror to his isolation.
A Citizen, a Detective, and a Thief (2001) - مواطن و مخبر و حرامي
Daoud Abdel Sayed’s 2001 film brings together Yousef, a disillusioned writer, Fathi, a police informant, and Sherif, a petty thief. Their intersecting lives unravel into a darkly comic reflection on power, corruption, and absurdity.
Gate of the Sun (2004) - باب الشمس
Yousry Nasrallah’s adaptation of Elias Khoury’s novel traces the story of Palestinian resistance fighter Younes and his wife Nahila through the memories of Khalil. The result is an epic of love, exile, and survival
In the Heliopolis Flat (2007) - في شقة مصر الجديدة
When music teacher Nagwa arrives from Upper Egypt in search of her old mentor, she crosses paths with Yehia in his new Heliopolis apartment. Mohamed Khan’s film captures the intimacy of chance encounters against Cairo’s shifting backdrop.
Sleepless Nights (2003) - سهر الليالي
Hani Khalifa’s ensemble drama follows four couples whose friendships and marriages unravel during a trip to Alexandria. Anchored by a memorable soundtrack, it remains one of the defining portraits of urban relationships in 2000s Egyptian cinema.
The Best of Times (2004) - أحلى الأوقات
A mysterious letter pulls Salma back to childhood friendships left behind more than a decade earlier. Hala Khalil’s film weaves memory, mystery, and the bonds of women’s lives into one of the era’s standout stories.
Microphone (2010) - ميكروفون
Returning to Alexandria, Khaled discovers an underground world of hip-hop, indie bands, graffiti, and street art. Ahmad Abdalla’s 'Microphone' became a touchstone for a generation seeking self-expression outside the mainstream.
Ibrahim El Abyad (2009) - ابراهيم الأبيض
Marwan Hamed’s gritty crime drama follows Ibrahim, played by Ahmed El Sakka, as he navigates Cairo’s underworld alongside Ashry, portrayed by Amr Waked. The film is remembered for its raw energy and unflinching depiction of violence.
The Yacoubian Building (2006) - عمارة يعقوبيان
Based on Alaa Al Aswany’s novel, Marwan Hamed’s adaptation assembles a powerhouse cast led by Adel Emam to portray the intersecting lives within a downtown Cairo landmark, reflecting the contradictions of modern Egyptian society.
The Magician (2001) - الساحر
Mahmoud Abdel Aziz stars as a widowed illusionist in Radwan El-Kashef’s drama, where fatherhood, desire, and unexpected love intertwine to reveal the fragility and resilience of human connection.
In the Last Days of the City (2016) - أخر ايام المدينة
Tamer El Said’s debut blends fiction and documentary, following a filmmaker navigating love, grief, and the rhythms of Cairo. It is a lyrical meditation on a city in transition.
His Excellency the Minister (2003) - معالي الوزير
Ahmed Zaki delivers a sharp performance as a newspaper executive unexpectedly thrust into political power. Directed by Samir Seif, the film dissects corruption and absurdity through dark satire.
Scheherazade, Tell Me a Story (2009) - احكي يا شهرزاد
Mona Zaki stars as a television host whose interviews with women reveal stark truths about gender and power. Yousry Nasrallah’s film merges the personal and the political in a striking narrative.
Coming Forth by Day (2012) - الخروج للنهار
Hala Lotfy’s intimate debut feature centres on a single day in the life of Soad, who cares for her bedridden father in a cramped Cairo apartment. The film’s quiet, observational style captures the tension between duty and desire.
The Closed Doors (2001) - الأبواب المغلقة
Atef Hetata’s coming-of-age drama set during the Gulf War explores adolescence under the weight of repression, social control, and the search for identity.
Feathers (2021) - ريش
Omar El Zohairy’s surreal debut tells the story of a domineering father transformed into a chicken, forcing his wife to assume control in a patriarchal household. The film won international acclaim for its daring allegory.
The Aquarium (2008) - جنينة الأسماك
Two lonely professionals — a talk show host and an anaesthetist — cross paths over 48 hours in Cairo. Yousry Nasrallah’s drama is a study of isolation in the heart of a bustling city.
Seeking Haven For Mr. Rambo (2025) - البحث عن منفذ لخروج السيد رامبو
Khaled Mansour’s feature quickly earned cult status, transforming a street dog named Rambo into a symbol of resilience for the everyday baladi breed. Beneath its simplicity lies a layered, allegorical portrait of society.
Factory Girl (2013) - فتاة المصنع
Mohamed Khan tells the story of Hiyam, a young factory worker confronting love, class divisions, and rigid gender expectations. The film offers an unflinching look at Cairo’s working-class women.
One-Zero (2009) - واحد صفر
Set on the day of the 2008 Africa Cup final, Kamla Abu Zekry’s ensemble piece interweaves the struggles of eight characters, capturing a cross-section of contemporary Egyptian life.
Leisure Time (2006) - أوقات فراغ
Mohamed Mostafa’s film follows a group of young Egyptians navigating friendship, ambition, and conflicting values, offering a snapshot of a generation on the cusp of adulthood.
The Island (2007) - الجزيرة
Sherif Arafa’s blockbuster sees Ahmed El Sakka portray Mansour, the heir to an Upper Egyptian clan. The story explores loyalty, power, and corruption in a world where morality is constantly in question.
Abou Zaabal 89 (2025) - أبو زعبل 89
Bassam Mortada’s documentary revisits Egypt’s political unrest through the lens of personal testimony, examining how activism and trauma shape collective memory.
Chaos, This Is (2007) - هي فوضى
Directed by Youssef Chahine and Khaled Youssef, this controversial drama follows a corrupt police officer whose actions spiral into violence, exposing systemic abuse and injustice.
