The 47th edition of the Cairo International film festival opened on 11 November and is scheduled to run through 20 November. Amid the celebrations, a dispute erupted when Turkish filmmaker Ferit Kılıç announced that his feature “Dancing Angels” would not premiere at the event. The film had initially been confirmed as part of the Critics’ Week competition during a press briefing on 12 October and was highlighted on the festival’s official channels.
Festival officials later sent an email to the production team stating that the film was being withdrawn because its co-producers had previously worked on “Eagles of the Republic,” a political thriller deemed hostile to Egypt. The message claimed the earlier co-production was “against the Egyptian state” and therefore unsuitable for the festival’s audience. In response, the film’s producers appealed to European trade organisations (including FIAPF, EAVE and Turkey’s Meetings on the Bridge platform) seeking sanctions against the festival. Under pressure, the organizers reinstated the invitation, but Kılıç chose to keep his film out, citing the alleged censorship attempt.
Artistic director Mohamed Tarek expands the festival’s scope
New artistic director Mohamed Tarek reflected on the audience’s willingness to explore varied content, noting that short films screened in the main opera house drew enthusiastic reactions normally reserved for feature premieres. This observation encouraged him to give restored classics, short-form works and immersive experiences a higher profile across the festival’s major venues. The 2026 lineup now showcases 145 titles from 64 countries, including 17 world premieres and 87 regional debuts, all selected from roughly 5,600 submissions.
Tarek also introduced several initiatives aimed at younger viewers and emerging talent. The Cairo Kids program, curated by critic Rasha Hosny, offers a mix of animated and live-action titles tailored to different age groups, while the expanded New Wave track now admits 100 participants, 55% of whom are women, from 23 of Egypt’s 27 governorates. The programme provides workshops, masterclasses and mentorship, covering not only filmmaking but also criticism, programming and distribution, with travel and lodging fully funded for those traveling outside Cairo.
Golden Jubilee marks fifty years of Egyptian cinema
The festival’s opening ceremony, attended by ministers of higher education, culture and industry, celebrated five decades of Egyptian film history. Minister Abdel Aziz Konsowa highlighted cinema’s role in documenting social change and preserving national identity, while also announcing a forthcoming joint meeting between the ministries of culture and industry and the Chamber of Cinema Industry to explore sector-wide development projects.
President Hussein Fahmy announced the restoration of seven Egyptian classics, such as Al-Mutamarridoun and The Soft Hands, through a partnership with the Holding Company for Cultural and Cinematic Investment and the Film Restoration Centre. Colourised and subtitled versions will be screened for international guests, contributing to a broader goal of preserving roughly 1,400 titles. Fahmy emphasized that the festival, now in its 47th edition, continues the legacy of its 1976 inception despite three editions being cancelled in extraordinary circumstances.
