The films, dating from the 1950s to the 1990s, were recently released from the Cinematic Restoration Center at the Egyptian Media Production City.

Essam Zakaria, the festival's artistic director, said in a press conference that this year’s Classic Film programme presents an exceptional selection of Egyptian cinema, with a special emphasis on carefully restored timeless classics.

“In an era dominated by fleeting digital images, there is a growing desire to reconnect with the past, where a single frame could leave a lasting impression,” Zakaria added.

“With this in mind, our programme seeks to revive and preserve Egypt's rich cinematic heritage, ensuring it resonates with today’s audience,” he continued.

During the presser, Hussein Fahmy, the president of CIFF, emphasized that the festival seeks to deepen its connection to Egypt's cinematic heritage.

“The restoration of classic Egyptian films is not just about preserving history, but also about forging stronger connections between generations of filmmakers,” Fahmy said.

Several films based on the novels by Naguib Mahfouz adaptations have been restored, including director Hassan El-Imam’s Palace Walk, also known as Between Two Mansions (Bayn El-Kasrain, 1964), and Palace of Desire (1966), as well as The Beginning and the End (1960) and Cairo 30 (1966) by director Salah Abu-Seif.

These also include two films by filmmaker Hossam El-Din Mustafa, The Quail and Autumn (1967) and The Beggar (1973), and Mirage (1970) directed by Anwar El-Shenawy.

Abu-Seif's restored films extend to works such as The Thug (1957) and The Second Wife (1967).

The adaptation of Yousuf Idris' The Sinners (1965) by Henry Barakat; Hussein Kamal’s The Impossible (1965), an adaptation of Mostafa Mahmoud's story; and A Taste of Fear (1969), inspired by a short story by Tharwat Abaza, are also among restored classics.

Among classic Egyptian films are Atef El-Tayeb’s The Bus Driver (1982) and Khairy Bishara’s Nutshell(1995), which premiered in the El Gouna International Film Festival’s latest edition following a restoration.

The programme will also screen international classic films, including three films to celebrate the centenary of the birth of Indian director Satyajit Ray: The Big City (1963), Charulata (1964), and The Hero (1966) and two films to celebrate the centenary of the birth of Armenian director Sergei Parajanov: The Color of Pomegranates (1969) and the documentary dedicated to him, Bobo or The Boogeyman (1991), directed by Naren Mkrtchyan and Arsene Azatyan.

Other international films will be screened in modern 4K resolution, including Paris, Texas (1984) by German director Wim Wenders and The Godfather Part 2 (1974) by Francis Ford Coppola, starring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the film premiere.