Hafez expressed his delight at collaborating with Egyptian director Mohamed Diab on Moon Knight (2022), a Marvel Studios TV series on Disney+. The show follows Marc Spector, a man with dissociative identity disorder who becomes the vigilante Moon Knight, guided by the Egyptian god Khonshu.

Diab, who recommended Hafez to Marvel Studios, was instrumental in bringing him onto the team.

The Moon Knight team consisted of three editors, each responsible for two episodes.

However, Hafez admitted to initial hesitations about accepting the role.

“When I was approached with this opportunity, I had reservations about travelling. We spent two years in Hungary and the United States, and I worried about returning to Egypt and being forgotten by people in the industry here,” he shared.

His concerns deepened when he realised he would be the only Egyptian involved in the production's editing phase.

“The rhythm of English-language filmmaking differs significantly from that of Egyptian productions,” he explained. Over time, however, he overcame these challenges and saw the experience as an invaluable learning opportunity.

“This experience helped me grow tremendously. Working with different mindsets and learning from such a diversity of perspectives broadened my horizons,” he said.

When reflecting on the differences between working in Egypt and abroad, Hafez expressed confidence in the skills of Egyptian filmmakers. “We are much better than foreigners. In reality, we work longer hours than they do,” he said, praising the talent of Egyptian crews.

“The only difference is that they have a system in place. For instance, two and a half years before the project began, I already knew all the details, including the schedules for the episodes. Everything was organised.”

Hafez also spoke about the challenges of working with Mohamed Diab, noting the director’s strong background as a screenwriter, which made him deeply focused on the narrative.

“Working with Diab is challenging because his background makes him more attached to the story. We had previously worked together on the film Clash (Eshtebak, 2016), which won 11 international awards, including Best Editing at the Carthage Film Festival. We also collaborated on Amira (2021),” Hafez noted, while acknowledging how Moon Knight expanded his artistic horizons.

Diab’s breakthrough film, Clash, which he directed and co-wrote with Khaled Diab, takes place during the Egyptian Revolution. It was Egypt’s official submission for the Oscars' foreign-language film category in 2017. While it did not make the final list of nominees, the film brought Diab significant international recognition.

Reflecting on his Moon Knight experience, Hafez emphasised how it solidified his place in the global film industry while reinforcing his belief in the abilities of Egyptian professionals on the international stage.

“We just need the right system, and we can compete with the best,” he concluded.

The 45th Cairo International Film Festival
 

The 45th edition of the Cairo International Film Festival runs from 13 to 22 November, showcasing over 100 titles from dozens of countries. The festival features numerous international premieres, representing a wide range of genres and themes that highlight the richness of global cinema.

This year marks the 6th edition of Cairo Industry Days, which offers workshops, panels, and networking opportunities for industry professionals.