Iconic Egyptian actress Faten Hamama adorns the official poster of the 37th Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), which is set to take place from 11-20 November 2015. The poster was designed by artist Yasser El-Sokkary.

The festival administration, headed by president Magda Wassef and artistic director Youssef Cherif Rizkallah, chose a retrospective of seven of the late actress’s best works to be screened parallel to the festival. The screened films will include: Seraa Fel Wadi (Struggle in the Valley-1954), Seraa Fel Minaa (Struggle in the Port-1956), Doaa El-Karawan (1959), Nahr El-Hob (The River of Love-1960), Imbratoriyyat Meem (Empire M-1972), Oreed Halan (I Want a Solution-1975), and Yawm Mor Yawm Helw (Good Day, Bad Day, 1988).

In addition to the screening, film critic Tarek El-Shenawy is writing a book about Hamama's career and her valuable contributions to Egyptian cinema. The book is to be translated into English and distributed during the festival.

To honor the late actress, the festival administration launched the Faten Hamama lifetime achievement award, which will be presented annually to “prominent Egyptian or international film figures for their lifetime contribution to enriching the cinematographic art,” as is mentioned on the festival’s official website.

This year, the award will go to famed Egyptian actor Hussein Fahmy, recognising the star’s “contribution to Egyptian cinema through the numerous roles that he played, but also as former president of the Cairo International Film Festival from 1998 to 2001,” the statement published on the website continued.

A book celebrating Fahmy’s career and written by Egyptian film critic Magda Maurice will be published and distributed during the festival.

A retrospective of some of Fahmy’s most iconic films will also be screened, including Khali Balak Min Zuzu (Take Care of Zuzu-1972), El-Hareb (The Fugitive, 1974), El-Aar (The Shame, 1982), and El-Leaab Maa El-Kobar (Dangerous Game, 1991).

The festival’s administration announced in August that a celebration of late Egyptian actor Omar Sharif will be held on 12 November.

A press conference will be held and attended by an array of Egyptian and international artists who worked with the late Sharif. A book focusing on Sharif’s Egyptian and international career will also be published.

A retrospective of some of Sharif’s chef d’oeuvres will be screened including Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Doctor Zhivago (1965), the French films Monsieur Ibrahim et les Fleurs du Coran (Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Koran, 2003) and Goha (1958), as well as Sharif's last film, 1001 Inventions and the World of Ibn Al-Haytham (2015).

The Cairo International Film Festival is the oldest film festival in the Middle East, according to its website. The festival will be held from 11-20 November at the Cairo Opera House, which will host the screening of feature and documentary films from around the world.

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