Cairo International Film Festival

November 8 - 21, 2000



One only has to look through its Arts Museum to know
that Cairo is a leader in the Arab art world. Given this cultural
prestige, it seems fitting that the Cairo International Film Festival
offers a window into cinema -- not only from Arab countries, but
from around the world.

Egypt
has a great cinematic tradition that dates back to the 30s. But
it was long before then that the land had been a muse to artists;
even the Bard himself was inspired by Egypt's land and history.
Hollywood, of course, followed (from Cecil B. de Mille to Stephen
Sommers with The Mummy), which brings us to the festival.



Begun in August 1976 by the Egyptian Association for writers and
critics, the Cairo International Film Festival did not become competitive
until 1990 when a study proclaimed it to be the second most prestigious
noncompetitive festival after London. Inspired by this positive
recognition, the festival began taking steps that would lead it
in the coming years, to becoming a competitive event.

This
year, the competition features 18 films from 13 different countries.
Among the titles in competition for the Golden Pyramid are: Stand
By from director Roch Stéphanik (France), Edge of Night
by Nikos Panayotopoulos (Greece), Wrota Europy by Jerzy Wocik
(Poland), The Detour by Frouke Fokkema (Holland), A Sigh
by Feng Xiaogong (China), Envy of Gods by Vladimir Menshov
(Russia), Lisbao by Antonio Hernandez (Spain) and A Map
of the World by Scott Elliot (USA). Director and producer Roland
Joffe will serve as President of the Jury, which will include the
Egyptian actress Lubna Abdel-Abiz, Italian director Alessandro d'Alatri,
and Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami.



One country receiving much attention at the festival this year is
Italy. Besides the two Italian films in competition (Winds of
Passion by Sandro Cecca and Tobia al Caffe by Gianfranco
Mingozzi), three Italian stars will be guests of honor at Cairo.
The bellisima herself Sophia Loren inaugurated the 24th edition
of the festival days ago with the screening of Dancer
in the Dark by Lars von Trier. This week, director Michelangelo
Antonioni (Blow Up) is expected to make an appearance (although
this is dubious since he has recently fallen ill), along with Ornella
Mutti, who will close the ceremony and receive a prize of honor.

Known
for appreciating Iranian cinema, the Egyptian public will have the
opportunity to see Jafar Panahi's award-winning film The
Circle (Golden Lion winner at Venice), which generated much
buzz during the first days of the event, along with another Iranian
film The Legend of Love by Farhad Mehranfar. Egyptian filmmaker
Khaled Yossef's The Storm is sure to excite audiences. Not
only is this the only Egyptian film in competition, but it was directed
by the former assistant to Youssef Shahine, who presented his first
film here in 1992.

Beyond
the competition, the festival concentrates on a number of interesting
sidebars. The category "Festival of Festivals" presents a selection
of films that have appeared at festivals during the past 12 months.
Another sidebar "Romantic Section" spotlights classic, though forgotten
films, while another sidebar spotlights foreign films or ones from
Arab directors. With more than 120 films on the program, Cairo is
poised to be the largest festival on the African continent.

Christophe
Pinol