Returning for its 12th edition, the Rencontres de l’Image festival opens on 18 April at the French Institute in Cairo.

This year’s edition is organized in partnership with the French festival Premiers Plans, two French film schools, Femis and Fresnoy, as well as the Egyptian company Hama Film Productions.

A selection of 32 films from Egypt will be screened in competition. The programme also includes feature films from Premiers Plans 2016 festival, to be screened with presence of guests, and a short film programme curated by Thibaut Bracq, as well as a number of student short films from the schools Femis and Fresnoy.

Bracq is also a member of this edition’s jury, which consists of critic Nour El-Safouri, director and actor Ahmed Abdalla, director Mohamed Shawky Hassan, producer and director of Hama film Productions Hesham Soliman.

The jury will present two prizes to two filmmakers to attend a film festival in France, as well as two prizes from Hama Film Productions with a monetary prize of EUR 1,000, and support for producing the winner’s upcoming film.

On the margins of the festival are a series talks for participating filmmakers, that are open to the attendance of film enthusiasts and the public, to be held at Cimatheque.

Programme:

Monday 18 April

4pm
Meeting with Arthur Harari, director of the first short film, held at Cimatheque

8pm
Carte Blanche from Premiers Plans festival
Diamant Noir (Black Diamond)

Tuesday 19 April

4pm
Roundtable: Cinema Education in France

6pm
Short films from French schools
Brises (Breezes)
Le Park (The Park)

Carte Blanche from Premiers Plans festival
Mutations of Matter.

8pm
Egyptian films in competition
Shaklaha Sama (She Resembles the Sky)
Acapella
El-Sayara (The Car)
Borooda (Coldness)
Ghamady Eneiky (Close Your Eyes)
Keshk

Wednesday 20 April
Egyptian films in competition

6pm
El-Barnameg (The Television Show)
Ha-Katha Kanet El-Wehda (And That Was Solitude)
El-Gareema (The Crime)
Akher Nafas (The Last Breath)
El-Zeyara (The Visit)

8pm
Baeaa El Batata El-Mag-hool (The Anonymous Batata Seller)
Talata Fi Wahed (Three in One)
Zeyara (Visit)
El-Shayeb (The Old Man)
Steak Abla Margeaux (Aunt Margaux’s Steak)
Leilet Hob (Night of Love)

Thursday 21 April
Egyptian films in competition

6pm
Nahar/Kharegy (Daytime/Exterior)
Moqatel Waheed Bel Hayz (Solitary Warrior in the Zone)
Bela Enwan (Untitled)
Captain Roma

8pm
Zakerat Abad El-Shams (A Stroll Down Sunflower Lane)
Tashkeel (Formation)
Monataha El-Salaheya (Expired)
Aida
Heya Shakka (Just a Prick)

Friday 22 April
2pm
Roundtable: Curating and selection in film festivals

4pm
Films from French schools
Fais le Mort (Play Dead)
Le Caïman de Boromo (Boromo’s Crocodiles)
Hotaru
Les Chercheurs (The Seekers)

6pm
Egyptian films in competition
El-Agala (The Wheel)
Seen Leyakoon (X To Be)
Sticky Note
El-Zaaer (The Visitor)
Ma Yesaabsh Aleik (Not to Feel Sorry For)
Malh (Salt)

8pm
Carte Blanche from Premiers Plans festival
Keeper

Saturday 23 April
Carte Blanche from Premiers Plans festival

4pm
Au son des Clochettes (At the Sounds of the Bells)
Edmond
Die Katze (The Cat)

6pm
Mama (Père) (Mama (The Father))
Le Repas Dominical (Sunday’s Meal)
L’ile Jaune (Yellow Island)

8pm
Festival’s award ceremony and closing

French Institite, 1 Madraset Al Hoqouq Street, Mounira, Cairo

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