The new section is a response to a notable rise in Egyptian submissions this year, both in volume and in the diversity of themes and storytelling styles. The section is named after the renowned director Khairy Beshara, in recognition of his cinematic career and his influence on Egyptian filmmaking.
Festival organizers said the new section was launched in response to strong entries, leading to the creation of a separate competition that does not require premiere status, allowing wider access and visibility for participating films.
This year’s selection includes 20 short films spanning psychological drama, social realism, and experimental narratives.
Themes of grief, identity, fractured relationships, and unresolved memory run throughout the lineup.
In Sada (Echo) by Azza Kamel, a man’s attempt at reconciliation collapses against the silence of time and absence, in a work that reflects on memory and unspoken loss.
Split Decision by Seif Abdel Nabi draws on personal experience to examine the emotional cost of family bonds and sacrifice.
Several films explore psychological or symbolic states of childhood and inheritance.
The Unnamed by Abanoub Nabil portrays a child confronting pain too early in life, while Teta (Grandma) by Ahmed Samir uses a haunting premise of intergenerational voices and pregnancy to blur the boundaries between life and death. In Lingering by Bahy Taha, a man revisits unresolved farewells through memory, while The Baby by Amir Sameh transforms a simple gathering into a reflection on parenthood, longing and emotional absence. Social and digital realities also feature prominently.
Explore by Youhanna Ashraf examines viral fame and unwanted visibility, while Jammed by Ramy Mansour revisits 1990s adolescence and the unintended consequences of youthful curiosity. In Blackout by Ahmed El-Zoghby, the sudden disappearance of men leaves women navigating fear and uncertainty in an atmosphere of collective rupture.
Other films engage with moral or existential dilemmas.
Seif by Mohamed Abdel Fattah Elshenawy follows a contract killer bound by an ethical code that begins to unravel. The Last Miracle by Abdelwahab Shawky, adapted from Naguib Mahfouz, blends irony and metaphysics when an obituary writer receives a phone call from the deceased subject of his article.
The Last Rabbi by Ahmed Essam Abo Elreesh turns to questions of faith, ageing and ritual in a deeply personal portrait of an elderly Jewish couple in Egypt.
Award-winning and internationally circulated works also feature strongly.
Quarshie by Omar Shama, which won Best Narrative at the International Sport Film Festival in Italy, explores identity and resilience through the story of Ghanaian footballer Emmanuel Quarshie at Zamalek SC.
The Sea Is Gone by Maikel Beyoh, previously awarded Best Director and Best Film at major Egyptian festivals, reflects on grief and healing through an unexpected intergenerational encounter.
The Elephant Home by Ahmed Hussein brings memory and emotional closure into focus as a failed actor reconnects with a past friendship after years of silence.
Experimental and symbolic storytelling appears in works such as Apoleon by Amir Youssef, which reimagines historical narratives through animated dioramas of Napoleon’s campaign in Egypt, and Fish Eye by Hossam Rostom, a surreal psychological descent blending domestic tension with dream logic. Bless Your Hand by Jomana Baalbaki expands the sensory dimension of cinema through tactile portraits of community and heritage.
Together, the Egyptian competition presents a layered portrait of contemporary short filmmaking in Egypt—one that moves fluidly between personal memory and collective history, realism and allegory, intimacy and spectacle. It underscores a growing confidence among a new generation of filmmakers who are reshaping the language of Egyptian cinema through bold formal experimentation and deeply personal storytelling.
Alexandria International Short Film Festival
The Alexandria International Short Film Festival is an annual cinematic event dedicated to showcasing short films from Egypt and around the world. Held in the coastal city of Alexandria, it has become one of the region’s key platforms for emerging filmmakers, offering a competitive space for narrative, documentary, experimental and animated works.
The festival is known for its focus on discovering new voices and supporting independent cinema, with a strong emphasis on short film as a flexible and innovative form of storytelling. Alongside its international and regional competitions, it also features industry activities, workshops and special programmes that foster exchange between filmmakers, critics and audiences.
In recent editions, the festival has expanded its scope to better reflect the growing diversity of short-form cinema, including dedicated sections for animation and national production, reinforcing its role as both a regional hub and an international meeting point for contemporary filmmaking.
The festival’s upcoming 12th edition will run from 27 April to 2 May 2026.
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