For its first edition, we are collaborating with Cinema Zawya, to screen 7 of Mahfouz's movies over two weeks, with each film being screened twice. Some films, like the opening film, Chatter Over The Nile, will be followed by a small talk by renowned individuals in the cultural scene.

The festival aims to capture and resonate the cultural impact and influence Naguib Mahfouz has had on our society beyond his printed and published works. This year's focus on cinema is only a humble beginning to a larger aim that we hope immerses the entire city with his name, history and art. In our upcoming editions, we are hoping to incorporate plays, visual exhibitions exploring different avenues and depths to his work and other ventures. 

This year's festival is meant to be a slow introduction to our presence and our efforts. It is a prime example of the Naguib Mahfouz Project's intentions: maintaining and growing his legacy beyond the printed page. Our current efforts of reprinting and designing his books by collaborating with a number of Egyptian artists to show the depth and range of his topics and genres is only half way through.

So far, seven artists have designed 24 books out of a much larger collection. We've had the privilege of working with Muhammed Mustafa, Yousef Sabry, Mariam El Reweny and Nora Zaid. More recently, we've collaborated with Ahmed Saber, Abdelrahman Mahmoud, and Hadir Abdullazim. Each artist is asked to design a set, after reading them and understanding they’re context in relation to the time they were written, and to reflect on it as a contemporary individual in their work. 

This festival and these book designs are only some of the projects we aim to do, and we welcome and have an open line to everyone who is interested and wanting to work with us and contribute their ideas.