Launching its second edition under the slogan Creativity Begins in the South, the event embodies a belief that southern Egypt, especially Upper Egypt, holds a rich human, cultural, and narrative heritage that has not yet been fully explored by Egyptian cinema.
Taking place in the city of Qena, southern Egypt, the event will shed light on films and communities of Egypt's south through numerous activities.
Hamada Al-Azhar, head of the QCD's second edition, clarified that naming the event after El-Kashef, one of the most prominent figures in Egyptian realist cinema, underlines the director's position as a son of the south.
"El-Kashef's films served as a mirror for ordinary people; their dreams, their struggles, and the voices often unheard in mainstream, capital-centered films," Al-Azhar stated.
El-Kashef's films often depicted the struggles and challenges experienced by ordinary people, particularly in rural and southern Egypt.
His 1993 film Leih Ya Banafseg (Why, O Violet?) is a poignant drama about a young woman from Upper Egypt who moves to Cairo to pursue her dreams, only to face the harsh realities of urban life and societal expectations. The film explores themes of identity, ambition, and the clash between tradition and modernity.
Arak El-Balah (Date Wine, 1998) is set in a small village in Upper Egypt, and tells the story of a young man who returns home to find his family and community grappling with change and tradition.
Equally, his 2001 film Al-Saher (The Magician) follows a popular magician who becomes a symbol of hope and escapism for the downtrodden in Cairo.
Al-Azhari also added that this year’s event will witness broad participation from young filmmakers across Upper Egypt, alongside a rich lineup of programmes, activities, and training workshops.
Qena Cinema Days
Qena Cinema Days is a cultural and developmental project adopted by the Ibn Daqiq Al-Eid Foundation for Sustainable Development, a nonprofit organization officially registered with the Ministry of Social Solidarity that works toward the advancement of local communities.
As the management stresses, QCD is an open invitation to filmmakers, critics, artists, and the general public to attend, participate, and engage in a profound artistic and human experience — where the camera becomes an extension of the southern voice, a platform from which Egypt can view and speak to the world.
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