With his re-election this September as president of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI), Egyptian critic Ahmed Shawky begins a second consecutive term at the head of the world’s oldest and most influential critics’ organisation.
Founded in 1930, FIPRESCI celebrates its centenary this year, and Shawky’s mandate coincides with another historic development: the relocation of the federation’s administrative headquarters from Munich, where it had been based for four decades, to Cairo. For the first time, the leadership of the federation is both Arab and Egyptian, a symbolic shift that speaks not only to Shawky’s standing but to the wider changes reshaping the international scene.
The decision was confirmed during the General Assembly attended by representatives of 29 member countries who voted unanimously to renew Shawky’s leadership until 2029. He now heads a board composed of three vice presidents — Italian critic Paola Casella, Ukrainian critic Elena Rubashevskaya, and North Macedonian critic Marina Kostova — reflecting the new system of governance adopted by the federation this year.
“On a personal level it is a great honour,” Shawky says. “But more importantly, it reflects the fact that the world itself is changing. Twenty years ago it would have been difficult to imagine a president of the federation coming from outside Europe. Today the opportunity exists — not only for Arab critics, but for anyone willing to take the initiative and claim a place on the international stage.”
Shawky acknowledges that some may view such shifts as token gestures, “and it is their right to think so,” he adds. “But personally I see that Arab critics, Arab filmmakers, and anyone with the determination to have an international presence can achieve this today more easily, and by a shorter path, than was ever possible in the last century. I am grateful to be living through this moment, with all its complexities and challenges.”
For most of its history, FIPRESCI has played a central role in the global film ecosystem, defending the rights and independence of critics, while also nurturing renewal by supporting young writers through workshops and training at festivals. Its awards have long been a marker of distinction, often spotlighting films overlooked by official juries and giving them wider international recognition. With more than fifty member associations and individual members in countries without national bodies, the federation provides a rare international platform for dialogue, cultural exchange and professional standards.
But 2025 has also marked a turning point. Earlier this year the federation adopted a revised statute that reshaped its internal structure. The most visible change was the abolition of the position of secretary general, long held by Klaus Eder of Germany, who retired at the end of 2024 having served since 1987. His departure closed an era in which one figure had become almost synonymous with the institution. “Klaus had a benevolent hand in growing the federation,” Shawky acknowledges. “When he took office in 1987, the federation organised around 15 juries at festivals worldwide; by the time he left, that number had grown to nearly 80.”
But when one person remains in office for nearly four decades, people start to imagine the federation only through his style of leadership. “Our challenge was to present a more modern image, more transparent, more open to the world.”
The new board structure introduces limits on terms, requires diversity in nationality, and clarifies membership obligations, including the need for individual members to periodically demonstrate their professional activity. It also allows for electronic assemblies in cases where physical meetings are not possible, a recognition of the federation’s increasingly global and decentralised nature.
For Shawky, these measures are not cosmetic but central to renewing the vitality of the federation: “Our reports were approved unanimously, and the vote for us was unanimous as well. That shows there is a payoff to these changes.”
Shawky’s first term was marked by a push to expand membership and strengthen connections with regions underrepresented in previous decades. Until recently, the Arab world had only three member countries: Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco. Under his leadership Saudi Arabia joined, and individual members from Algeria, Jordan, and Palestine were accepted. “I am president of the federation as a whole,” he insists, “but naturally my network in the Arab world is larger, so I receive more membership requests from there. The point is to distribute opportunities as equally as possible. And anyone looking at the federation’s website today can see how diverse the new members and juries have become.”
For him, the symbolism of his own election matters less than practical impact: providing opportunities, increasing the number of members, and ensuring that critics from across the globe can participate in juries and discussions. “The federation is ultimately a network of members providing opportunities to members. The higher the number of members, the more opportunities we provide, the more successful we are.”
Change, however, was not without challenges. “When an administration becomes entrenched for so long, there will always be some who resist any change, especially if it comes from outside the backgrounds they are comfortable with,” he notes. But he stresses that these were isolated cases. “Ninety-nine per cent of the people and bodies we dealt with were welcoming and positive.
They were even happy to see change.” The celebrations of FIPRESCI’s centenary offered a clear sign: more than fifty festivals worldwide proposed panels, books, tributes, or events. “The amount of positive feedback was extraordinary,” he says. “It showed that people were ready for a new phase.”
The move of the administrative headquarters to Cairo has attracted attention, though Shawky is quick to point out its formal nature. The federation is legally registered in France, and decision-making is conducted online among a geographically dispersed board: vice presidents in Sweden, Italy, and North Macedonia, legal counsel in France, treasurer in Switzerland.
“The headquarters was simply where the secretary general lived, which meant Munich for 40 years. Once we abolished that position, it made sense that the headquarters should follow the elected president, who can only serve a limited term. So it is in Cairo for now, and later it will move again. It’s a small detail, but it reflects the spirit of rotation and democracy that we want.”
Still, the symbolism is not lost. For the next few years, Cairo stands as the administrative home of FIPRESCI, giving Arab critics greater visibility in a federation historically led from Europe.
Asked about the state of Arab film criticism, Shawky emphasises both opportunities and uncertainties. “The number of festivals has increased, and the internet has eliminated gatekeepers. This has allowed Arab critics to be present in Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and other major festivals in unprecedented numbers. The same applies to filmmakers, perhaps even more so.
Whether this presence has translated into deeper, lasting change is harder to measure. But clearly we are more globally visible than before, and that may have a cumulative effect.” He is careful to situate criticism within a wider reality: “The world is living through political, social and economic crises at every level. Criticism doesn’t have to be directly involved in politics, but it is never isolated from its context either.”
Unlike many leadership positions in the film industry, the presidency of FIPRESCI is a voluntary, unpaid role. Shawky balances this responsibility with an active professional life: he is president of the Egyptian Film Critics Association (EFCA), head of CineGouna Funding, and continues to serve as a film critic, programmer, and collaborator with festivals. “I have never had a single fixed job; I always work on more than one project at the same time,” he explains. For him, the priority over the coming four years is to ensure that the federation’s centenary is matched by renewed vitality and visibility. “My ambition is for the federation to achieve success worthy of its hundredth year, to make a real difference in how it is perceived. And on a personal level, I want to live a pleasant life with my family and friends, while continuing to take professional steps.”
As FIPRESCI marks one hundred years, it looks ahead with reforms that promise greater openness while symbolically relocating its headquarters to Cairo. Under Shawky’s leadership, the federation seeks to balance continuity with renewal, and institutional resilience with human connection. “We were given a warm reception in the past year,” he reflects, “and our responsibility now is to live up to it.”
* A version of this article appears in print in the 25 September, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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