Most known for her multiple seasons of the 80s and 90s ‘Fawazeer’ TV show; the Arab World iconic actress, singer, and dancer Nelly has starred in around 118 different projects, ranging from cinema, theatre, and television.

Born in 1949 in an artistic family, Nelly started her career early at the age of four, playing ‘Mona’ in the movie ‘Deprivation’ beside Imad Hamdi. She quickly became a favourite talent, appearing in ‘Birds of Paradise’, ‘Mercy of Heaven’, ‘Repentance’, and ‘Until We Meet’, and so many more.

Her last appearance was in 2005 at ‘Qasasis Waraq’ but “despite her absence from the art scene since then, we can date most of her life stages through the film and television cameras that stood in front of her since her early childhood,” reads a statement by the CIFF.

Nelly is the younger sister of Fayrouz, known in Egyptian cinema as the “miracle child”, and the cousin of legendary actress Lebleba.

The CIFF prestigious Golden Pyramid is presented to prominent film figures who enriched the art of cinema with outstanding works.

Egyptian star actor Karim Abdel-Aziz, 46, was earlier unveiled as the recipient of the Faten Hamama Excellence Award that is give to remarkable young film figures who accomplished distinguished cinematic achievements.

His most important works are the films ‘Haramiya fi Thailand’, ’Abu Ali’, ‘Wlad Al-Am’, ‘Outlaw’, and most importantly the box office record-breakers ‘The Blue Elephant’ and its sequel, directed by Marwan Hamed.

Under the helm of Egyptian producer Mohamed Hefzy, the CIFF — taking place between 26 November and 5 December — will screen 98 films (76 feature films and 22 short movies) from 63 countries; including 27 World Premiers and 7 International Premiers.

Adhering to the Egyptian government and the World Health Organisation’s guidelines, the CIFF will ensure everyone’s safety, including the festival’s team, participating filmmakers, and the audience.

The CIFF is one of the oldest cultural events in Africa and the Middle East and is the only festival in Africa and the Middle East to be given a “Category A” accreditation by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations in Paris.