The Luxor African Film Festival (LAFF) announced at a Monday press conference in Cairo that its second edition would take place from 15 to 24 March and feature over 70 films from 34 African nations.
LAFF President Sayed Fouad said that 18 films from 15 countries would feature in the competition's feature films and long documentaries category, including the Egypt's Khoroug lel Nahar ('Out til Sunlight') by director Hala Lutfi and Morocco's Kheil Al-Rab ('God's Horses') by Nabil Ayouch.
The short film competition will include 30 films from 15 countries, Fouad explained, including four Egyptian films. The festival will also include a special section for 16 films produced by African filmmakers living outside Africa.
Furthermore, this year, the LAFF has decided to launch a special screening programme entitled "Revolutions and Films of Freedom," featuring nine films competing for Best Picture. This new addition to the competition will be dedicated to late Egyptian journalist El-Husseiny Abu Deif, who died during last December's clashes outside the Presidential Palace in Cairo.
LAFF 2013 will also honour Egyptian actress Yosra, animation director Showikar Khalifa, film critic Samir Farid, director Solomon Cisse and Nigerian animation director Mustafa Hassan.
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