Egyptian actor Mahmoud Hemeida has been declared the president of honour of the ninth edition of the Luxor African Film Festival (LAFF).

"Hemeida has agreed to extend his post in a meeting with the organisers," the festival's president Sayed Fouad stated.

The 65-year-old prominent actor collaborated with the majority of stars in the filmmaking industry. He frequently produced films and published a filmmaking magazine that had onboard many of the most appreciated journalists and critics.

The festival will take place in Upper Egypt's Luxor and was rescheduled to be held from 6 to 22 March.

Fouad also noted that famous Egyptian director Samir Seif will be honoured for his last movie "Augustine, Son of Her Tears", who included producers from Tunisia, Algeria and France. The film will be screened on the sidelines of the festival.

"After taking notes from the president of honour, the festival will organise new competitions to reach African people, not only in the continent, but all over the world," LAFF's Executive Director Azza El-Husseiny said.

 Egyptian actress Yasmine Abdel-Aziz was named among the honourees. 

Earlier announcements

Earlier during this year's Cannes Film Festival in May, it was announced the upcoming edition of the Luxor Festival would be named in honour of late actor and producer Farid Shawky, on the occasion of the centenary of his birth.

Kenya was earlier revealed as the guest of honour, focusing on the younger generation of Kenyan filmmakers. The festival will also pay tribute to Malian actor Sotigui Kouyaté, Egyptian actress and singer Akila Rateb, and Tunisian producer Ahmed Bahaeddine Attia in a new competition held under the name "African Diaspora", which will present the creations of Africans residing outside the continent.

Moreover, an African-wide series of screenings will also be organised next January; “Youssef Chahine Day" will see screenings of the Egyptian director’s works on 25 January, his birthday. Roundtables, debates and brochures will accompany the event, which will be executed in partnership with Misr International Films and Zawya.

The Malmö Arab Film Festival's director Mohamed Keblawi announced earlier that the winning films from this year’s festival will be screened in Sweden, including the Ghanaian film "The Burial of Kojo" and the Egyptian film "Night/Exterior", and a seminar will be held to support the African film industry (both sub-Saharan and north African).

The festival is organised by the Egyptian non-profit organisation the Independent Shabab Foundation, with the support and cooperation of the ministries of culture, tourism, youth, and foreign affairs, the governorate of Luxor, and the Cinematic Professions Syndicate.

During the eighth edition, 385 films were screened from Africa and other continents, and 102 films competed in its various sections.

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