Cairo International Film Festival
Movies are among the world's most well-loved forms of entertainment, and they know no national boundaries. Western and local films are widely enjoyed in Egypt, and Egyptian cinema is said to be the most popular in the Middle East.
The Cairo International Film Festival is held annually in Cairo at the Cairo Opera House and celebrates filmmakers from across Egypt and abroad. This festival acts as a podium bringing together filmmakers, artists, producers, actors, directors, writers, critics, cinema, and film lovers on a global platform to share their work and take part in the new light of the growing Egyptian industry.
The film festival, which debuted in 1976 with around 100 films from 33 countries, has grown since then. It now takes place over ten days and includes several international films at different venues. The event is divided into sections like the International Competition for Feature Films, International Competition for Digital Feature Films, Competition for Arab Films, New Arab Cinema, and Tributes.
CIFF's first debut in 1976 was in memory of the late Egyptian screenwriter and critic Kamal El Mallakh, who had visited the Berlin Film Festival the year before and wished to have a similar festival in Egypt. CIFF is said to have been the first of its kind in the Middle East and is ranked among the top 11 film festivals globally. Others on the list include Cannes Film Festival, Berlin Film Festival, Montreal Film Festival, and Tokyo Film Festival.
CIFF gives away fifteen different awards which include Golden Pyramid, Silver Pyramid, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Artistic Contribution, Special Mention, Naguib Mahfouz Award for the Best First or Second Work, Golden Award - Digital Films, Silver Award - Digital Films, Best Arabic Film, Best Arabic Screenplay, Special Award, and the FIPRESCI (Federation Internationale de la Presse Cinmatographique) Prize. Three juries responsible for deciding the whole award scene include The International Jury for Feature Films, The Arab Jury for Arabic Films, and The International Jury for Digital Feature Films.
Every year, the CIF F has a different theme, and it's an event that movie lovers around the globe eye. The 34th edition of the awards was organized in 2010 and revolved around bringing together the different movies that portray or were developed in Egypt. There were 19 feature films screened at the festival at various venues. Event details and other information can be easily obtained from the official website of the CIFF, www.ciff.org.eg.
CIFF is the ultimate venue to enjoy a night of international cultural exchange and great filmmaking and is highly recommended.
