The festival will run until 5 February, with the awards ceremony taking place a week later on 12 February.

This year, the Cairo Film Society Festival is combining two editions, the 47th and the 48th, as last year’s was delayed due to the pandemic.

Under helms of Director of Cinematography Mahmoud Abdel-Samie, the festival’s board includes prominent Egyptian filmmakers, critics and journalists who have shortlisted five selections from a total of 21 films released in 2020, as well as seven selections from 26 films released in 2021.

For the first time ever, the festival will include Egyptian films that were directly screened on streaming platforms, stated Abdel-Samie.

The five selections from 2020 are: A Day and Night directed by Ayman Makram, Sandok El-Donia by Emad Al-Bahat, Saheb Maqam by Mohamed Gamal El-Adl, Soulmate by Osman Abo Laban and Curfew by Amir Ramsis

The seven selections from 2021 are: Wafet Regala by Ahmed EL-Gendy, El-Aref by Ahmed Alaa El-Deeb, El-Ens Wel-Nems by Sherif Arafa, Mousa by Peter Mimi, 200 Geneh by Mohamed Amin, Barra El-Manhag by Amr Salama and Abou Saddam by Nadin Khan.

For the first time, the festival has also shortlisted six Arab films screened in Egyptian theatres to compete for a new award. Notably, four of them have been directed by Palestinian directors.

The six Arab films selected are: Between Heaven and Earth by Palestinian Najwa Najjar, You Will Die at 20 by Sudanese Amjad Abu Alala, 200 Metres by Palestinian Ameen Nayfeh, It Must Be Heaven by Palestinian Elia Suleiman, The Man Who Sold His Skin by Tunisian Kaouther Ben Hania and Gaza Mon Amour by Palestinian Arab Nasser.

Established in 1960, the festival is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Syndicate of Film Professions and the Cultural Development Fund.