The Egyptian Films Selected for the Cairo International Film Festival

From November 11th to 20th, the Cairo International Film Festival's 47th edition will bring films from across Egypt and the world to audiences at the Cairo Opera House and multiple Cairo venues, including, for the first time, Zawya Cinema.

[1] Egyptian Panorama Program

The Egyptian Short Film Panorama will premiere five Egyptian short films, highlighting the distinct talent and creativity present in emerging voices in Egyptian cinema.

A Date with Mama

Dirs. Marianne Hanna and Christine Hanna

A Short Ride

Dir. Mohamed Sakr

A Holiday in Teplice

Dir. Bishoy Qalada

Siberen

Dir. Eman El Toukhy

Thank You, Bye, I Love You

Dir. Zeina Blasi

[2] Short Film Competition

The short film competition will feature 24 short films from around the world as well as four Egyptian films all competing for the Youssef Chahine Award for Best Short Film.

Winter Time

Dir. Zeina Ramy

One Second

Dir. Nadine El Banhawy

White Dot

Dir. Amr Abed

The Day I Smoked a Cigarette with My Father

Dirs. Sameh Alaa and Robin Vouters

The animated short premiered in September at the Toronto International Film Festival and follows 13-year-old Alaa and his three siblings as they hear commotion from the street below as their father returns from prison.

[3] International Competition

The International Competition for Feature Films will showcase 12 movies, including two from Egypt, as they compete for cash prizes and the festival's highly sought after bronze, silver and gold pyramid trophies.

Berleen

Dir. Ahmad Abdalla

A day in the lives of three Arab immigrants in Berlin comes to life with full force in Ahmad Abdalla's drama, investigating alternate realities and new beginnings amidst turmoil, loneliness and violence in the German capital.

Al Baraneya

Dir. Ashgan El-Hamus

Starring Egyptian actresses Reem Amr, Asmaa Ahmed El-Hadary, and Fatma Faraht El-Hadary, 'Al Baraneya' follows a pregnant young woman named Amal in the village of Al Baraneya. When an offer comes along to buy their land, tensions flair as the family's way of life is threatened, although Amal becomes tempted by the prospect of city life.

[4] Arab Horizons Competition

Your Daughter

Dir. Sara Shazli

The filmmaker’s second feature turns inward, tracing her efforts to establish an identity beyond the influence of her mother, renowned producer and filmmaker Marianne Khoury, as she prepares to become a mom herself.

At 32, she sets out to untangle the personal and professional bonds that continue to tie her to her fiercely driven mother, leaving her childhood home in downtown Cairo for a modest house in the suburbs in search of independence. The film was part of the Venice Film Festival's Final Cut Program.