The Cairo International Film Festival has revealed the lineup for its 47th edition. It runs from November 11 to 20 and marks 50 years since the festival’s launch in 1976. In total, it will screen 145 films from 64 countries. The program also brings honors for Asser Yassin, a competition jury led by Nabil Ayouch, and new initiatives for young audiences.
A Lineup in Numbers
Festival president Hussein Fahmy announced the details at a press conference on Sunday, October 11. The festival received 5,600 submissions, including 2,100 feature-length films and 3,500 shorts. The final selection comprises 109 feature films, 29 shorts and 17 documentaries. Among them are 17 world premieres, five international premieres and 87 premieres for the Middle East and North Africa. According to Cineuropa, 31 European countries are represented.
Honors: From Lifetime Awards to Asser Yassin
Artistic director Mohamed Tarek named four recipients of the Golden Pyramid Award for Lifetime Achievement. They are Mauritanian filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako, Italian filmmaker Matteo Garrone, Egyptian screenwriter Medhat El Adl and Egyptian cinematographer Saeed Shimi. Sissako will also run a workshop with the Institut Français d’Égypte and Dahshur Workshops. Cineuropa adds that French director Óliver Laxe and British sound designer Paul Davis will discuss their careers too.
Egyptian actor Asser Yassin will receive the Faten Hamama Excellence Award. Cairo International Film Festival cites his emotional depth and versatility. He won Best Actor at Carthage in 2010 for Messages from the Sea. Then he won again at Tetouan in 2015 for The Walls of the Moon. His credits also include Zay El Naharda, The Promise, Rags and Tatters, and Diamond Dust.
The International Competition
The International Competition features 12 films. Nabil Ayouch, the Moroccan-French director, chairs the jury. Daily News Egypt lists its members as Ghada Adel, Fan Bingbing, Amr Fakhreddine, Laura Wandel and Paul Davies.
Several titles stand out. Ahmad Abdalla’s Berleen is set in Berlin and follows three Arab strangers through surreal encounters. Ashgan El-Hamus’s Al Baraneya centres on a pregnant woman and her family in a village outside Cairo. Meanwhile, Laïla Marrakchi’s Strawberries (La Más Dulce) premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard in May. Morocco also selected it as its 2027 Oscar submission.
Horizons of Arab Cinema
Seven films compete in the Horizons of Arab Cinema section. They include Ali Toffan Al-Fatlawi’s Al Baseer (The Blind Ferryman) from Iraq and Mia Bendrimia’s Magma from Algeria. Rania Rafei’s The Day of Wrath: Tales from Tripolis represents Lebanon. Tunisia’s Aziz Shennawy presents To the Sun and Beyond, and Egypt’s Sara Shazly presents Your Daughter.
New This Year
The eighth edition of Cairo Industry Days runs from November 14 to 19. Organisers expect participants from more than 35 countries, with 500 trainees and 60 international experts. A new initiative, From Book to Screen, brings ten publishing houses together with filmmakers and producers. In addition, Cairo Film Connection selected 16 projects from 193 submissions. For the first time, the project teams will receive dedicated mentoring.
A Poster That Sparked Debate
The official poster features the late actress Shadia as Fouada in Something of Fear. It is part of the festival’s focus on restored classic films. However, critics objected to the use of artificial intelligence to recreate her image. At the press conference, Fahmy defended the choice. “The poster does contain AI, but artificial intelligence is the future,” he said. He added that this differs from the festival’s position on screening AI-generated films.
Looking Ahead
Fahmy also reaffirmed the festival’s solidarity with Palestine. He said the cause will remain part of its program. The opening and closing films have not been announced yet. In the meantime, the lineup shows a festival that mixes heritage with new formats. Soul Arabia will share more as the program develops.
