“I am very proud to be here. I am astonished to be in this great place, sitting here in the Avenue of Sphinxes with Luxor Temple in front of me and Karnak Temple behind me. This place is incredible,” said Fahmy, thanking the festival’s board and attendees.

During the event that was attended by dozens of Egyptian and African filmmakers and critics, Hussein Fahmy, 81, recalled significant memories of his six-decade career, merging it with his memories of major Egyptian modern history events he witnessed.

Serving previously on the board of the Cairo Film Festival, Fahmy — who starred in over 125 films as well as tens of TV series and theatrical shows —praised his experience in Luxor, expressing his positive opinion on the country’s film festivals and calling for similar activities to take place in other governorates.

Since he graduated from the Acting Department of the Higher Institute of Cinema in 1963 as well as studying film directing in the University of California, Hussein Fahmy has collaborated with different generations of Egypt’s most important crews, filmmakers, and actors.

Among Fahmy’s most significant cinema works are ‘Khally Balak Men Zozo’ (1972), ‘Amira Hobby Ana’ (1975), ‘Layla Baka Fiha El-Qamar’ (1980), ‘El-A’ar’ (1982), ‘Gary El-Wohoush’ (1987), ‘Eskendereya Kaman we Kaman’ (1990), ‘El-Lea’b Ma'a El-kobar’ (1991), and most recently ‘El-Kahen’ (2021), to name but a few.

Taking place at the great city of Luxor between 4 and 10 March, the 11th edition of the Luxor Film Festival, which is focusing on African cinema, is presenting a variety of activities, including film screenings, honouring ceremonies, workshops, and symposiums.

With Uganda as the country of honour, this year’s honourees also include late Senegalese director Djibril Diop Mambéty, Moroccan director and producer Mohamed Ismail, and Egyptian actors Huda Sultan and Mahmoud Morsi.

45 films from 35 countries are participating in the competitive segments, with juries combining some of the continent’s most prominent filmmakers and critics.

The festival is hosted and organised by the Shabab Foundation with the support of the Egyptian Ministries of Tourism and Antiquities, Culture, Youth and Sports, and Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with Luxor Governorate and the Syndicate of Film Professions, and sponsored by the National Bank of Egypt.