Press conference for the 5th Sharm El-Sheikh International Theatre Festival for Youth (SITFY). In this photo, the festival's president Mazen El Gharabawy addresses the audience. On his right artistic director Ingy Al-Bastawi. (Photo: courtesy of SITFY)
The sixth edition of the Sharm El-Sheikh International Theatre Festival for Youth (SITFY), held between 6 and 11 November, has started receiving submissions for the annual competition for young theatre directors.
This is the third year the festival welcomes submissions from young directors. The submissions are accepted from 18 August to 25 September.
Professional directors can submit their first work only, while amateur theatre practitioners can submit first, second, or third theatre plays they directed. The play submitted should have been performed between 2019 and 2021 on any stage or a non-traditional space in Egypt.
The contestants must be Egyptian, under 35 years of age, and living and working in the country.
Directors from all walks of life -- students, graduates, working in private or public companies, etc -- can take part in the competition.
The plays will be judged on their mise-en-scene, scenography, props, costumes, lighting, and music.
The jury are looking for original creators with preference given to plays that touch upon human and social themes.
Directors are required to fill an application and email to (
[email protected],
[email protected]) providing all the details about the play, its cast and crew, links to the play, the technical details of the performance, and a complete technical and media file. A high quality DVD copy of the play should be sent to the festival's headquarters.
The winner will be awarded the Essam El-Sayed Prize worth EGP 5,000. The second place winner will be offered EGP 3,000, and the third prize is to the tune of EGP 2,000.
Held annually, the SITFY is the first of its kind to be organised in Sinai. It was launched with the aim of providing opportunities to young theatre practitioners while decentralising the artistic scene and reviving tourism in South Sinai.
The SITFY's founder and president is Mazen El-Gharabawy, and the artistic director is Ingy El-Bastawi.
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