The 41-year-old Ladj Ly, who is also an actor, screenwriter, cinematographer and editor, won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival for Les Misérables in 2019. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film.

The jury also combines prominent filmmakers from various countries; Spanish director David Palacios, French director Frédérique Devaux, American director Pip Chadorov, Jordanian director Mahmoud Al Massad, Cinema professor Layane Chawaf, Irish Animation director Vincent Gallagher, Egyptian director Mahmoud Soliman and Egyptian editor Dalia Elnaser.

With South Korea as the IIFF 23^rd guest of honour, over 107 films will be screening as 31 countries participate in the various competitions, programmes, workshops and other activities of the prestigious festival, as announced during the press conference held at Al-Hanager Theatre on Monday.

The festival will be honouring prominent Egyptian directors Khairy Beshara and Awwad Shouky.

With prominent critic Osama Abdel-Fattah as the Artistic Director, this year’s edition of the festival is taking place under the presidency of director Saad Hendawy, who is succeeding critic Essam Zakareya, who presided over the previous four editions of the festival.

The festival is organised under the authority of the culture ministry’s National Cinema Center, headed by Zainab Aziz.