Actress Hanan Motawie with director Ahmed Rashwan on the set of Fragile, one of the film projects selected by the Cairo Film Connection in Feature Fiction Film Projects – Post-Production segment. (Photo courtesy Fragile film director Ahmed Rashwan)
The Cairo Film Connection (CFC) team has announced the selection of film projects that will take part in its sixth edition, held within the 41st edition of Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), as well as the jury members, the CFC revealed in an official press release.
It is the sixth year for the Cairo Film Connection to take part in the CIFF. Last year, CFC was integrated into the Cairo Industry Days section of CIFF, a move initiated by Mohamed Hefzy who presided over the CIFF last year and does so this year.
Cairo Industry Days provides an important space for discussion, networking, meetings, workshops, master classes and partnership opportunities between Arab talents and key regional and international industry professionals to further support Arab cinema.
The CFC press release quoted Hefzy as saying: "Since the launch of CFC in 2010, and throughout its consecutive editions, it has become an indicator of the future of Arab cinema in the following years. With every edition, we witness some of the best film projects on their way to completion. This is the second edition of CFC within the Cairo Industry Days programme and we are proud that Maggie Morgan, the previous manager of CFC, who contributed to its growth and success over the last few years, is participating this year through the film project Laila and I.”
The CFC list includes 16 feature film projects in development and in post-production from Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Yemen, Palestine, Iraq, Syria and Tunisia. The films were chosen from the over 100 projects submitted to CFC this year from 12 Arab countries.
The projects selected include:
Feature Fiction Film Projects – In development:
The Land Beyond, Director: Nadine Salib, Egypt
The Station, Director: Sara Ishaq, Yemen-Jordan
Leila and I, Director: Maggie Morgan, Egypt
Under Construction, Director: Nadim Tabet, Lebanon
A House For Expats, Director: Naji Ismail, Egypt
Shameem, Director: Karim Rahbani, Lebanon
Feature Fiction Film Projects – Post-production
Europa, Director: Haider Rashid, Italy-Iraq
About Her, Director: Islam El-Azzazy, Egypt
Fragile, Director: Ahmed Rashwan, Egypt
Documentaries – In development:
Big Boys Don't Cry, Director: Muhammad Mustapha, Egypt-Germany
The life and times of Omar Sharif, Director: Mark Lotfy and Axel Petersen, Egypt-Sweden
On the Trail of Yamile, Director: Fatma Racha Shehadeh, Lebanon
Documentaries – Post-production:
Displaced in Heaven, Director: Khaled Jarrar, Palestine-Germany
We are From There, Director: Wissam Tanios, Lebanon
Home There…Cinema Here, Director: Nidal Al Dibs, Egypt-Syria
The Disqualified, Director: Hamza Ouni, Tunisia-France
Jury members for the upcoming edition of Cairo Film Connection include Egyptian screenwriter Mariam Naoum; Ida Martins, founder and managing director of Media Luna New Films; and George David, producer and consultant in film and television.
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