The fourth season of the University Theatre Stars (UTS) kicked off last week at the open-air stage in front of the Hanager Theatre at the Cairo Opera House. With the theme "The Return of the Spirit," the fourth edition is meant to restore energy to the creative field and university theatres which have suspended their activities since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March. The initiative also aims at reviving theatrical activities across Egyptian universities while providing a platform for talents in acting, directing, and scenography. The event is the brainchild of Egyptian director Khaled Galal, who for many years has been heading the Creativity Centre and the Actors Studio operating under its wings and which has shed light on many young actors in theatre, television and film. The first edition of UTS took place in July 2014, the second in February 2016, and third in April 2018. Organised by the Cultural Development Fund of Egypt s Ministry of Culture, the UTS usually takes place on the stage of the Creativity Centre. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year it has been moved to an outdoor location. The opening of the fourth season took place on 22 October with a performance titled "No Truth at the Rashomon s Gate." The play is based on a short story by Japanese writer Ryūnosuke Akutagawa. Performed by the students of the Future University, the text was adapted for stage and directed by Karim Shahdi. The opening ceremony was attended by director Galal; Hisham Azmy, secretary-general of the Supreme Council for Culture, and Neveen Mohamed, head of the Archive and National Documents. Continuing with daily performances until 31 October, the event brings together 10 theatrical troupes from numerous Egyptian universities. The plays were selected from over 110 performances submitted by troupes from the Cairo University, Future University, as well as the universities of Ain Shams, Helwan, Alexandria, Damietta, Benha, Mansoura, Port Said, and Fayoum. The selection commitee included journalists and theatre critics Hend Salama, Basem Sadek, and May Selim. As per the festival s tradition, a number of theatre figures are honoured during the event. This year, among the honorees are artists Mohamed Al-Sagheer, Shady Sorour, Mohamed Tharwat, Mohsen Mansour, Tarek Abdel Aziz, Ahmed Amin, Amr Saad and Amr Abdel Gelil. Previous honorees include renowned actors and directors such as Bayoumi Fouad, Mohamed Farag, Iman Sayed, Fatouh Ahmed, Sameh Hussein, Hisham Ismail, Ahmed Bedair, Ahmed Kamal, Mohsen Helmi, among many others who throughout the years contributed to the development of Egyptian theatre. The jury of this year s edition is headed by Mohamed Desouky. The panel includes Ihab Fahmy, Samir Shaheen, Islam Imam, and Marwa Odeh. The jury will select the winning play, which will then have an opportunity to participate in Egypt s National Theatre Festival, an annual event which usually takes place in August. The awards are also given to the best actress, best actor, best director, best scenography and best costume design.

In a breathtaking yet cautious ceremony, El-Gouna Film Festival (GFF) held the opening ceremony for its fourth edition at its newly launched cultural hub, the Gouna Conference and Cultural Centre (GCCC). The ceremony opened on 23 October evening with the voice of Lebanese singer Rami Ayash in an uplifting emotional song. The ceremony was presented by Helda Khalifa, sending love from Beirut to Egypt in these unusual times. In a very moving gesture, El-Gouna Founder Samih Sawiris paid tribute to the late CEO of Orascom Khaled Bishara. Renowned set designer Onsi Abou Seif received a Career Achievement Award and dedicated it to his late mentor, celebrated Egyptian filmmaker Shady Abdel-Salam. Egyptian singer Farah Debany sang a song accompanied by a short film in the background recalling the ones who left us this year including Ragaa Al-Geddawy, Mahmoud Yassin, Magda, Montaser Bellah, George Sidhom and Samir Bahzan. The GFF s director Intishal Al Timimi gave a speech about the hardships of the cinema industry this year; however, his brilliant team overcame all these hard circumstances and made this edition possible. As Al-Timimi underscored during the previous press conference, "The festival will succeed this year and it will be an investment for years to come. We worked hard this year to present a unique edition despite the challenging circumstances.” During the opening ceremony, the acclaimed actor Khaled El-Nabawy granted the Omar Sharif Award to French-American actor Saïd Taghmaoui, who had the chance to know Sharif personally and acted alongside him in the film Hidalgo in 2004. Shereen Reda gave an emotional speech about her late father Mahmoud Reda, founder of Reda troupe for folk dancing, followed by a folk performance of the famous Luxor Baladna, originally by Reda troupe.The opening film was The Man Who Sold His Skin, directed by Tunisian Kaouther Ben Hania. The film stars Yahya Mahayni, Dea Liane, Monica Bellucci, Koen de Bouw, Darina Al Joundi, and Christian Vadim. The 4th edition of El Gouna Film Festival is taking place between 23 and 31 October 2020. The organisers revealed that the festival will hold many of its activities at outdoor venues, amid the “challenging circumstances” of the coronavirus pandemic. The festival will also enhance its virtual capabilities to allow greater online participation.

The highly anticipated Egyptian TV series “Nemra Etnain” (Number Two) is scheduled to stream exclusively on Shahid VIP platform starting October 29, according to Mazen Hayek, a spokesperson for MBC group. Hayek revealed in a press conference that the show, which takes place in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, explores the idea of ​​a “second love” in a person’s life. There are eight episodes, each of which is 45 minutes. A new episode will be released each week on Shahid’s platform. Appearing on the show are major stars from Egypt and the Arab world, he added. “Nemra Etnain” aims to break the stereotypes of TV drama that audiences are accustomed to, by introducing new concepts, scenes, and directorial insights in each episode. Every episode is different and follows a different set of actors. They are linked by one common theme: the phenomenon of having a “second love”, and how it affects everyone involved. Hayek said if the first season is successful, a second season may follow. Nemra Etnain is produced by Hany Ossama, Mohamed Rifaei Bondoq, Shahinaz al-Akkad, and co-directed by Hady al-Bagoury, Hany Khalifa, Tamer Mohsen, Tariq al-Eryan, Mohamed Shaker, and Ahmed al-Naggar. It is starring Amr Youssef, Sherine Reda, Arwa Gouda, Saba Mubarak, Yaqoub al-Farhan, Cynthia Khalifa, Ahmed al-Saadani, Maged al-Kedwany, Nelly Karim, Iyad Nassar, Asser Yassin, Yasmine Rais, Amina Khalil, Ahmed Malik, and Mona Zaki, and is written by Maryam Naoum, Sarah Taiba, Wael Hamdy, and Sama Abdel Khaleq.

I ve written about controversy surrounding White actors portraying characters of color — a practice that has existed throughout Hollywood s history — multiple times. In the most recent iteration of this pattern, Israeli-born actress Gal Gadot has been cast to play Cleopatra, ancient queen of Egypt, in an upcoming film that will reunite her with “Wonder Woman” director Patty Jenkins. This is not a new story, but it is a complicated one. Because while Cleopatra ruled over Egypt, there has long been debate over whether she had African ancestry, given that she hailed from a long line of Macedonian Greeks. (As a geography reminder, Egypt is located on the continent of Africa.) The belief that Cleopatra was a woman of color also caused consternation in 2010, when Stacy Schiff, the author of the biography “Cleopatra: A Life,” suggested Angelina Jolie would be the perfect choice to play the queen in a film adaptation of her book. (Jolie also caught flak for playing real-life French journalist Mariane Pearl, who is of Afro-Cuban-Chinese-Dutch descent, in the 2007 film “A Mighty Heart”). But the issue is bigger than just one role. “Color-blind casting,” as it has come to be known, has both its critics and its supporters for myriad fair and important reasons. Blackface, the offensive portrayals of Asians and Latinos by White actors, and underrepresentation of people of color behind the scenes all point to the fact that the entertainment industry has long had a race problem. So, it rankles when people believe a character to be “whitewashed.” Here are a handful of casting choices that have inflamed public feeling against Hollywood. Jake Gyllenhaal: Folks were none too happy when the actor played the lead role in the 2010 fantasy film “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.” Gyllenhaal didn t love it, either. “I think I learned a lot from that movie in that I spend a lot of time trying to be very thoughtful about the roles that I pick and why I m picking them,” he told Yahoo Entertainment last year. “And you re bound to slip up and be like, That wasn t right for me, or That didn t fit perfectly. There have been a number of roles like that. And then a number of roles that do.” Scarlett Johansson: Johansson caused a huge uproar in 2015 when she agreed to play an Asian woman in the film “Ghost in the Shell.” The live-action remake of the Japanese manga (a comic or graphic novel) did not do well at the box office. Leonardo DiCaprio: All it took was for Oscar-winning screenwriter David Franzoni to publicly express interest in DiCaprio playing 13th-century Persian poet and scholar of Islam Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi for people to be up in arms in 2016. For the record, DiCaprio has not been cast in the role. When White actor Joseph Fiennes was cast to play late superstar Michael Jackson on “Urban Myths,” some Jackson fans were dismayed. Joseph Fiennes: Even Michael Jackson s daughter Paris expressed her displeasure when Fiennes was cast to play her father. A 2017 episode of the British TV series “Urban Myths” was pulled amid this controversy. The list goes on and on. And it s not always White actors who are taken to task. Plenty has been written about complaints regarding “Hamilton” having a diverse cast playing real-life historical figures who were White. The reality is that if Hollywood were a level playing field, we would be at a place where the argument could be made that all roles should be open to anyone and may the best person be cast. But we aren t there yet. And until we are, there will continue to be consternation — especially from those craving better representation.

With preparations underway for the theatrical release of the Egyptian action-thriller film ‘The Black Box’ (al-Sondok al-Aswad), the film’s producers, Misr International Films, New Century Productions, and Synergy Films, have launched the movie’s official poster. ‘The Black Box’, which is set to debut on October 28, stars Mona Zaki, Mohamed Farraj, Mostafa Khater, and Asmaa Jalal. The movie marks Zaki’s return to the big screen after a four-year hiatus. The official poster features the faces of the three film stars, with each of them expressing a different emotion.Farraj is in the poster’s forefront with a stern expression. Zaki follows, looking shocked and sporting a bleeding head wound. Khater is last and looks riddled with fear. The film follows Zaki as Yasmine, who, during a quiet night at her home, discovers two men breaking into the place in search of something important. Yasmine tries to escape from them, but she is unable to. The film goes on to show just how long she can withstand the night. The film is written and directed by Mahmoud Kamel. Its screenplay and dialogue were written by Ahmed al-Dahan and Haitham al-Dahan. The Black Box is produced by Misr International Films, New Century Productions, and Synergy Films, and is marketed by MAD Solutions.

"Could an expired man be recycled to restore humanity?" This question is the main theme of a new comedy play entitled Recycle , launching Sunday at the Talea Theatre. The show of director Mohamed El-Sagheir is the output of a four-month workshop that combined a group of promising talents like Monadel Antar, Ahmed Hamdi Raouf, Sama Ibrahim, Mostafa Selim and others. At the Zaki Tolimat Hall, Ismail Mokhtar, head of the Theatre Artistic House, will Sunday open the show of Talea Theatre workshop that was paused for months amid the coronavirus pandemic. Recycle is composed of a group of sketches about social issues like marriage, work, education, and sexual harassment, linked together with the theme set by Al-Sagheir, Raouf s music, Antar s choreography and Abeer El-Badrawy s styling. The show, that will perform every day except Tuesday at 8:30pm, follows the country’s strict safety measures, including social distancing, obligatory face masks, and sanitising, applied since the return of public cultural activities in July as part of the country s cautious reopening following the Covid-19 lockdown.

Egyptian actor and director Ashraf Zaki has announced that he will resign from his post as president of the Acting Professions Syndicate in the upcoming general assembly in December. "I am totally satisfied of my performance as with a confident conscience I accomplished my duty honestly," Zaki, who is also leading the Academy of Arts, told Al-Ahram on Saturday. Dozens of members, including known actors like Ashraf Fahmy and Lekaa Swaidan, have launched campaigns demanding Zaki reverse his decision, announcing support for "president, brother and friend” Zaki. "My resignation is a final decision because I cannot be as effective as I used to be anymore," he added, referring to employment issues facing many members of the syndicate. Zaki, 59, resigned last month his post as treasurer of Zamalek Club, citing health concerns. Zaki has led the Actors Syndicate since 2015, succeeding Ashraf Abdel-Ghafour. He had served a first term in 2011. Zaki has starred in dozens of known TV series like Second Chance, Kalabsh 2, Abu Seada, Caesar, Saheb El-Saada and many others series, films, and plays through his four-decade career.

Dozens of Egyptian artists, critics and intellectuals signed a statement rejecting the El Gouna Film Festival s plans to honor the actor Gerard Depardieu, opposing his links with Israel. The statement explains that the intention of honoring the French actor is a form of unacceptable normalization with Israel. Earlier this month the El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) had revealed that the French actor would receive this year’s Career Achievement Award. The same stance was taken by the artists in 2018 when the Cairo International Film Festival planned to honor French filmmaker Claude Lelouch. After being heavily criticised in Egypt for his support for Israel, the festival withdrew its invitation to Lelouch. The statement against honoring Depardieu demands the same action be taken by GFF, motivating the demand is the actor s strong ties with Israel. "Honoring Gerard Depardieu is in violation with the unanimous agreement of the General Assembly of the Federation of Art Unions and the majority of Egyptian artists which reject all forms of normalization with the Zionist enemy and its supporters. In addition [the actor] has been accused of rape and the case is still under investigation under French law," the statement reads. According to Reuters (2018), "Gerard Depardieu is being investigated by the Paris prosecutor over accusations of rape and sexual assault, a judicial source said. French media said the complaint had been lodged by a 22-year-old French actress." Dozens of names have already signed the petition. Among the names are filmmakers Ali Badrakhan, Mohamed Fadel, Arab Lotfi, Ahmed Atef, Dora, Tariq Al-Zarqani, Director of Photography Mostafa Ezz El-Din, director and screenwriter Yousry Mansour, actor and director Magdy Ebeid, writers Ahmed El Khamissy, Mohamed Gharib Gouda, Mustafa Al-Saeed, Maher El Shayal; among dozens of others. The signatures also include a few names of artists from Palestine, Lebanon and Tunisia. The 4th edition of El Gouna Film Festival is scheduled to take place from 23 to 31 October 2020. Gérard Depardieu was born in 1948 in Châteauroux, Indre, France. He started his acting career at a small travelling theatre in the 1970s and as his popularity started to grow he began working for cinema. In the 1980s and 1990s, he became a leading French actor, awarded a César as Best Actor for The Last Metro (1980) and Cyrano de Bergerac (1990), a film for which he also received an Oscar nomination. In 1996, he was distinguished by the highest French title of "Chevalier du Légion d Honneur". Away from his career in France, Depardieu has been always under the limelight for his strong ties with Israel with multiple and highly publicised visits to the country. Among his best known films is Hello Goodbye (2008) in which Depardieu stars with Fanny Ardant. The film follows a Jewish couple aiming to recover their Jewish roots. The film was set mostly in Israel. In 2016, Depardieu visited Israel with Ardant, this time starring in a play La Musica Second by Margeurite Duras. In 2017, Depardieu and Isabelle Adjani gave performances of Love Letters in Haifa and then in Tel Aviv. The show has seen several runs by many actors and directors on Broadway and off-Broadway. In 2018, the YNet News / Jewish World wrote: "actor Gerard Depardieu, singer Charles Aznavour and former President Nicolas Sarkozy are among some 300 well-known French people urging national action to counter a “new anti-Semitism” that they blame on rising Islamic radicalism." "The statement urged prominent Muslims to denounce anti-Jewish and anti-Christian references in the Quran as outdated so no believer can refer to a holy text to commit a crime " the article reads.

Renowned Egyptian actor Mahmoud Yassin died on Wednesday at the age of 79 afer a struggle with illness. Yassin, who was born in Port Said city in June 1941, graduated from the Faculty of Law at Cairo University in 1964. He joined the National Theatre in 1963, starting an illustrious acting career that spanned over 55 years. Yassin starred in tens of movies, plays and radio and TV series, dominating the lead role for most of the 1970s and 1980s. His memorable roles on the big screen included The Bullet is Still in My Pocket (1974); Where is My Mind (1974); Mouths and Rabbits (1977); Ascent to the Abyss (1978); and A Nose and Three Eyes (1972). His key works on TV included The Whirlpool (1972); Cairo and the People (1972); and Tomorrow the Flowers Will Blossom (1984). He was the recipient of multiple awards for excellence throughout his career.

The fourth day of the Malmö Arab Film Festival (8-13 October) was marked by the awards ceremony of the sixth edition of the MAFF Market Forum, where awards totalling over $100,000 were distributed among the participating film projects. Two projects by Egyptian directors were awarded grants to support the different stages of the production. The Lottery, a project directed by Karoline Kamel and produced by Mai Saad, won the Mosaic TV Award, amounting $10,000, for sound mixing services. The Lottery also won the Mosaic TV Award for editing, splitting a prize worth $10,000 with another Egyptian project titled The Life and Times of Omar Sharif, directed by Mark Lotfy and Axel Petersen and produced by Sigrid Helleday. Both projects were among the pitches in the Feature Films in Post-Production category, where a total of nine projects were given a variety of funds. The jury of the award included Tunisian actor and director Ali Sabri Belaid, Jordanian film producer Deema Azar and Syrian filmmaker Rosh Abdel-Fattah. The MAFF Market Forum also distributed awards in other film categories such as Feature Fiction Films in Development, Feature Documentaries in Development and Short Film Films in Development. The 10th Malmö Arab Film Festival takes place between 8 and 13 October with over 75 feature-length, short films and documentaries by Arab artists or focusing on the Arab region.

n only the first few hours of opening its doors, the Torathena (Our Heritage) handicrafts exhibition sponsored by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at New Cairo s International Exhibition Center witnessed a remarkable turnout from the public, rewarding the optimism of the event s exhibitors and organizer MSME Development Authority. Wood product industry worker Rania Salem said she was optimistic about her participation in the exhibit for the second time in a row, as her participation last year won her excellent sales, new customers and finalized contracts. Salem told Al-Masry Al-Youm that rent hadn t been an issue as she had set aside a certain budget, and succeeded in finding a suitable space within it. The rent was also not as high as in other exhibitions as the prices were subsidized, she added. “The president s interest in sponsoring the exhibition and inaugurating it himself was an important message that…reflected the state s keenness and serious interest in supporting owners of small enterprises, especially in light of the current circumstances,” Salem explained. Mai, a student in the third grade of high school, stands in front of her space at the exhibition, passionately informing customers about the quality of products by the “Sindawil Island Families” in Sohag. The Sindawil families, she said, decorate their fabrics with silver threads to produce products such as clothing, shoes and women s bags. The 2020 edition of the Torathen exhibition is the largest of its kind, comprising about 620 exhibitors, and held on an area of 10,000 meters, according to the Director of Exhibitions at the Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises Development Authority Tariq Sabour. Sabour added to Al-Masry Al-Youm that the authority has offered services for the first time such as a QR code that provides visitors with information about exhibitors, their products, their stores and contact information. The authority offered subsidized rent fees, equivalent to 75 percent while the exhibitor pays 25 percent, he said.

Fans of Broadway will have to wait a little longer for shows to resume — until at least late May. Although an exact date for various performances to resume has yet to be determined, Broadway producers are now offering refunds and exchanges for tickets purchased for shows through May 30. “We are working tirelessly with multiple partners on sustaining the industry once we raise our curtains again,” said Charlotte St. Martin, president of the Broadway League, which represents producers. The latest delay was endorsed by Actors’ Equity Association, which represents 51,000 theater actors and stage managers. “Today the Broadway League made the difficult but responsible decision to put the safety and health of their workers and audience first. This is a deeply painful time for everyone who depends on the arts for their livelihood,” said Mary McColl, executive director for Actors’ Equity Association. “We are at this moment because, seven months into the pandemic, our nation still lacks a coherent national strategy for masks and testing which could help bring the virus under control.” Broadway theaters abruptly closed on March 12, knocking out all shows — including 16 that were still scheduled to open — and scrambling the Tony Award schedule, with nominations this year set for Oct. 15. Producers, citing health and city authorities, previously extended the shutdown to June 7, then again to Sept. 6 and again to Jan. 3. The new timeframe may complicate a clutch of show that had planned to open in the spring, including “The Music Man,” “Flying Over Sunset,” “Caroline, or Change,” “Plaza Suite,” “American Buffalo” and “The Minutes.” Within hours of the announcement, the musical based on Michael Jackson, called “MJ,” pushed back its performances to September. The move by the Broadway League comes less than a month after the Metropolitan Opera said it will skip an entire season for the first time in its nearly 140-year history and intends to return from the pandemic layoff next September. In London, producer Cameron Mackintosh has said his company’s West End productions of “Hamilton,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Mary Poppins” and “Les Miserables” won’t reopen until 2021 due to the pandemic. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., has canceled most previously announced performances and events through the end of 2020, as has the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston. Broadway grossed $1.8 billion last season and attracted a record 15 million people. Producers and labor unions are discussing ways theaters can reopen safely.

The film Saheb Al-Maqam (The Enshrined Saint) addresses viewers fond of social dramas with a human and spiritual flavour. Unfortunately, these fans are not going to be satisfied The third feature film directed by Mohamad Gamal Al-Adl (known as Mando Al-Adl), Saheb Al-Maqam recounts the bright life of a family faced with a lack of ethics and human values. They find themselves in an increasingly violent and materialistic society where little importance is placed on morals. Young architect and businessman Yahya, played by Asser Yassin, decides to demolish a maqam (mausoleum) dedicated to a saint. He wants to do so in order to build a touristic site in its place. However, a series of developments begin to turn his life upside down. He undertakes to do a lot of charitable deeds as self-penance. He is guided by a mysterious lady called Roh, who has dedicated her life to charitable acts, with the aim of finding peace and serenity. Despite its traditional undertones, the film s idea is quite interesting. However, due to a simplistic and very flat approach in its realisation, these attractive aspects get lost as the action progresses. The plot quickly plunges into the overly explanatory. Based on a screenplay by the well-known writer and journalist Ibrahim Eissa, the film mixes social themes with far-fetched moral lessons, while leaving viewers wanting for more on both the artistic and dramatic levels. Approximately 50 minutes long, the film seeks to create a sense of suspense through superficial adventures, so much so that it is difficult to understand where it wants to take us. The main idea is filled with clichés and déjà vu. Two fairly well-known works immediately come to mind when watching this film: Al-Leila Al-Kebira (The Big Night), presenting the commemoration of a saint in a festive, spiritual and popular atmosphere, and Helm Aziz (Aziz s Dream), focusing on the idea of self-penance and atonement for sins as way of escaping a curse. Saheb Al-Maqam is a series of chained stories where several characters emerge, each carrying a plot. The author fell into the trap of presenting the events slowly and monotonously. As a result the film failed to defend or adequately shed light on many themes. Equally, the suspense runs out of steam as the whole work lacks depth and energy at all levels. On the production side, the director, who has already his own signature in the field, did not deliver his best work. Mando Al-Adl has already shot successful films including Al-Kibar and Al-Badla as well as successful television dramas including Al-Daeya (The Preacher) and Haret Al-Yahoud (The Jews Alley). However, in Saheb Al-Maqam, the director did not add anything that would really appeal to viewers. His shots are often enveloping, the camera direction well designed and the camera angles well-researched. However, it all lacks flavour. It is a bit disapointing putting into consideration the film s cast, which consists of superstars Asser Yassin, Youssra, Amina Khalil, among others, all of whom delivered clichéd performances, with neither major downsides nor nice surprises.

The management of the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) has revealed 10 of the most-anticipated films to take part in the festival s 42nd edition (2-10 December). Festival president Mohamed Hefzy revealed in a press release that “aside from the soon-to-be-announced world and international premieres and competition titles, the programming team is proud to include a collection of the most important and anticipated films of the year for the audience of Cairo, many of which are poised to be frontrunners of the award season after collecting critical praise in festivals in Venice, Toronto and Berlin earlier in the year." The films that will take part in the 42nd CIFF include: Nomadland This American film is the winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, and the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, making it the frontrunner for the Academy Award for Best Film. Directed by Chloé Zhao and starring Oscar winner Frances McDormand, Nomadland is a somber story of the resilient discards of an unforgiving economy, told with stirring power and grace. The Cairo International Film Festival will be presenting it in the official section, out of competition. Undine A German-French drama, Undine is winner of two awards at the Berlin Film Festival (Best Actress for lead star Paula Beer as well the FIPRESCI prize). During CIFF, the film will be screened out of competition. The latest work by Christian Petzold, who presided over the jury of the international competition of CIFF in its 38th edition, the film focuses on Undine who works as a historian lecturing on Berlin s urban development. But when the man she loves leaves her, an ancient myth catches up with her. Undine has to kill the man who betrays her and return to the water. Gaza Mon Amour A Palestinian film, winner of the NETPAC award (Best Asian Film) at the Toronto Film Festival, Gaza Mon Amour is one of the most prominent Arab films of 2020. The film will participate in CIFF s international competition. A co-production between France, Germany, Portugal and Palestine, and directed by Tarzan Nasser and Arab Nasser, the film premiered at the 2020 Venice Film Festival before winning the NETPAC award. The story revolves around a lonely elderly man that falls in love with a seamstress as he discovers an ancient statue that will change his life.The Disciple This Indian production won best screenplay and the FIPRESCI award at the Venice Film Festival, and will be featured out of competition. Directed by Chaitanya Tamhane and produced by the Oscar-winning Alfonso Cuarón, the film’s story revolves around a young Indian boy who dedicates his life to following his dream of becoming a classical Indian singer. Mogul Mowgli A British-American production directed by Bassam Tariq and starring Riz Ahmed (also co-writer), the film won the FIPRESCI prize for the Panorama section The film follows the journey of a British Pakistani rapper who is on the cusp of his first world tour, but is struck down by an illness that threatens to derail his big break. The film will also screen in the official selection, out of competition. Exile A German-Belgium-Kosovo production, directed by Visar Morina, the film will screen within CIFF s Panorama section. The film won the Heart of Sarajevo for best feature film at the arajevo Film Festival. Exile tells the story of a chemical engineer of foreign origin who feels discriminated against and bullied at work, plunging him into an identity crisis.Limbo A British film and one of the most prominent official selections of the Cannes Film Festival, Limbo premiered in Toronto, before winning the Youth Jury Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival earlier last month. The film will compete in the international competition of CIFF s 42nd edition. Directed by Ben Sharrock and starring Egyptian actor Amir Al-Masry, the film presents a different perspective on the problems of refugees in Europe. The Conference Directed by Ivan Tverdovskiy, at CIFF the film will be also competing in the international competition. A Russia-Estonia-UK-Italy co-production, the film received a special mention from the jury of Venice Days. Many years after a deadly terrorist siege in a Moscow theatre, survivor Natasha returns to the crime scene to hold a memorial evening, finally able to confront her survivor guilt and her estranged daughter and husband. New Order This distopian thriller is a winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival. The film will screen in the official selection, out of competition. Directed by Mexican filmmaker Michel Franco, New Order s story is set during a wedding for members of a wealthy upper-class family, interrupted with the arrival of unexpected guests and turbulent events that overturn the country. Apples A production of Greece, Poland and Slovenia, and directed by Christos Nikou, the film will be screened within CIFF s International Panorama section and will have its MENA premiere after its debut as the opening film of the Orrizonti Competition of the Venice Film Festival. The film s story revolves around a mysterious worldwide pandemic that causes humans to suffer sudden amnesia, and is focused on a character who finds himself enrolled in a recovery programme designed to help unclaimed patients build new identities.

The Cairo Opera House is set to see its first book fair in early November, done in cooperation with the General Egyptian Book Authority, Minister of Culture Enas Abdel Dayem announced. She added that over 50 publishing houses will take part in the 10 day fair. The minister expressed her elation at the visitor turnout for the Alexandria Book Fair, which runs from October 1 to October 10, and said this all comes as part of the state’s efforts to support publishers and the book market. She explained that the Alexandria Book Fair‘s success was indicated by the ratio of its sales and visitor turnout, which confirms how confident readers are in the country’s cultural products. Book prices at the Alexandria exhibition were made accessible to everyone to encourage cultural equality, the minister added, with prices set from one pound for some books to less than five for others. And Dayem said that this exhibition serves as a breakthrough for others being planned in other parts of the country, such as the return of a huge book fair in Mansoura city after nearly 15 years of suspension.

The Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) has set new dates for its 42nd edition, which will be held from 2 to 10 December instead of the previously planned 19 to 28 November. According to the CIFF s press release, the date adjustment was made in order to "ensure a safer and more successful festival, [following] health procedures and measures approved by the Egyptian Government and the World Health Organisation (WHO)." The third edition of Cairo Industry Day will be held from 4 to 7 December, while the activities of Cairo Film Connection will take place from 5 to 7 December.

In June, Mwazulu Diyabanza stood in a Paris museum next to a 19th century funerary post from central Africa, and berated France for taking it and tens of thousands of other art works from its former colonies. He and an associate prised the carved wooden ornament from its stand in the Quai Branly museum as a third man live-streamed the act on social media. Diyabanza was stopped by a security guard as he made for the exit. “My mother used to tell me that when the Europeans arrived, they pillaged these artifacts, they pillaged our patrimony,” he told Reuters. “We’re in a fight to recover our (cultural) wealth.” A Congolese who has lived in France for 20 years, Diyabanza belongs to a pan-African movement that is pressing France to return those artifacts and make reparations for acts of slavery. He appeared in court on Wednesday charged with attempted theft. Prosecutors demanded a fine, and a verdict is due on Oct 14. Diyabanza’s case has led to renewed scrutiny of France’s history in a year in which anti-racism protests have forced developed nations to re-examine how they remember their colonial pasts. Diyabanza, who faces a second theft charge for removing an artifact from a Marseille museum and taking it to a police station, considers his actions politically justified. “Who is the real thief in this story? The thief is he who takes something fraudulently. I’m the legitimate inheritor,” he said. A huge part of Africa’s cultural heritage is on display in Europe. The Quai Branly Museum in Paris holds some 70,000 African objects, with London’s British Museum holding thousands more, French art historian Benedicte Savoy told Reuters in 2018. That year, Savoy co-authored a report with Senegalese economist Felwine Sarr recommending the widespread return of cultural artifacts removed from Africa, identifying 46,000 objects that would qualify at the Quai Branly. The museum declined to comment for this article. Also in 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron said “African heritage can’t just be in European private collections and museums”. Diyabanza wholeheartedly agrees. “People see beautiful buildings. We hear the cries of women and children,” he said. So far, however, records indicate that fewer than 30 African artifacts in French collections have been handed back.

Acclaimed Egyptian composer and pianist Omar Khairat will give a performance at the Cairo Opera House on Tuesday, October 20 at 8:30 pm. The Ministry of Culture has set up two open-air theaters at the Cairo Opera House in July to allow cultural events to resume while maintaining social distancing precautions. However, it plans to keep the Cairo Opera House’s main hall closed until further notice. Khairat’s last performance was on September 29 at Al-Manara theater’s open-air stage located in New Cairo. Khairat is the founder and conductor of the Omar Khairat Band. He was born in Cairo and raised in a family of musicians. His uncle, Abou-Bakr Khairat, is a great Egyptian composer of classical music, part of the first generation of such composers in Egypt. An architect by profession, About-Bakr Khairat studied privately in Paris and founded the Cairo Conservatoire, which is regarded as the premier music conservatory in Egypt. Omar Khairat, About-Bakr Khairat’s nephew, entered the observatory in 1959, studied piano with Italian Maestro Vincenzo Carro, and took courses in music theory and composition at Trinity College in England. Khairat, whose music is said to bridge the divide between contemporary Egyptian and Western genres, has composed a number of works, including The Magic Perfumes (1989) and Arabic Rhapsody (1992). His compositions have been featured in various movies and TV shows and he has performed at the Cairo Opera House a number of times.

The organisers of El-Gouna Film Festival (GFF) have revealed the poster for the event s 4th edition, which is scheduled to take place in October 2020 in the Red Sea resort town of El-Gouna. Following the theme The Culture of Dreams, the festival will be aligned with the opening of the new Gouna Conference and Culture Centre. According to the GFF s official press release, "the poster is inspired by the design of the Gouna Conference and Culture Centre, which features an elegant series of barrel vaults enclosing the auditorium with a shaded perimeter layer where the inside and outside merge, creating an atmosphere of transcendent inspiration." "For this edition, the visuals in the posters represent the wide spectrum of voices and talents that bring the MENA region’s dreams to life in the form of inspired artistic works." One of the youngest major festivals in Egypt, the GFF was founded by businessman Naguib Sawiris and co-founded by Amr Mansy and actress Boushra, who also serves as the event s COO. The festival s director is Intishal El-Timimi. The annual festival is held in a luxurious Red Sea resort town established by businessman Samih Sawiris. The fourth edition of the El-Gouna Film Festival, which will take place from 23 to 31 October, will hold many of its activities at outdoor venues, including the opening and closing ceremonies, amid the “challenging circumstances” of the coronavirus pandemic. To ensure social distancing, the festival will allow “less than half of the total capacity” at events inside cinemas, the festival organisers revealed. The festival will also enhance its virtual capabilities to allow greater online participation.

Having suspended its activities in March, the African Cinema Club (ACC) will resume film screenings and discussions starting Saturday 3 October at 7pm at the Artistic Creativity Centre located at the Cairo Opera grounds. The first film in the Club s line-up is the award-winning film You Will Die at Twenty by Sudanese filmmaker Amjad Abu Alala, who will be present during the screening. With a script by Yousef Ibrahim, the film is set in a Sudanese village in the 1960s, where Sufi beliefs are central to the villagers’ lives, and which follows the life of young protagonist Muzamel, after a prophecy determines that he will die at the age of 20. The film won the Golden Star for Best Narrative Film at the Gouna Film Festival. The film also made headlines at the Berlin International Film Festival 2017, where it participated in the Berlinale Co-Production Market. It then won the Luigi De Laurentiis Award at the Venice Film Festival (2019). Sudanese filmmaker Abu Alala was born and raised in the UAE and studied media at the United Arab Emirates University. Abu Alala previously directed and produced a number of short films, some of which took part in film festivals, including Coffee and Orange (2004), Feathers of the Birds (2005), Tina (2009), and His Studio (2012). He is currently head of the programming committee of the Sudan Independent Film Festival. Transit Films is a Cairo-based production company established by producer Hossam Elouan, and specialises in the production of Egyptian and Arab art-house films.The film was also shown at the 9th edition of the Luxor African Film Festival (LAFF), which closed on 11 March, a day ahead of schedule, with no closing ceremony due to the general shutdown of all cultural activities due to the spread of coronavirus. Prior to that, the film was screened in October at the Artistic Creativity Centre, as the ACC s activities. The African Cinema Club was launched in January 2017 in cooperation between the Luxor African Film Festival and the Cultural Development Fund. Throughout the past years, the Club has held numerous film screenings followed by discussions at the Artistic Creativity Centre. It has also expanded its activities to other locations in Cairo and Alexandria. Headed by Sayed Fouad, the Club has suspended all screenings in March. It is worth noting that African cinema has been seeing a comeback in recent decades with a visible presence in international festivals and European cinema competitions. Founded in 2012, the festival is organised by Independent Shabab Foundation, a nonprofit organisation, supported by the Egyptian ministries of Culture, Tourism, Foreign Affairs & Youth and in collaboration with Luxor Governorate. The LAFF is the only festival dedicated uniquely to the continent s films in Egypt. Apart from its regular editions, and holding the year-long Club, the festival holds numerous additional events dedicated to African cinema and the promotion of its riches and filmmakers. In October 2019, a special evening celebrating the Luxor African Film Festival was organised as part of the Panora Cinema segment of the Malmö Arab Film Festival. The evening celebrated the Egyptian festival, which, according to the MAFF organisers, "made great strides and became one of the most important festivals specialised in African cinema."

Renowned Egyptian director Khaled Galal and a large cast from the Artistic Creativity Centre will continue performing their successful play Cinema Masr at the Cairo Opera House s Hanager Open Air Theatre for three successive nights starting Monday. The play, which has seen huge success among audiences and critics, has been staged for dozens of nights since its premier last summer, with many first-class artists attending and some being honoured during the show. Cinema Masr, whose cast includes 65 students presenting on stage around 40 scenes from memorable Egyptian films in a dramatic context created by the director, is expected to show in Alexandria in October. Khaled Galal is head of the Actor s Studio, operating under the Artistic Creativity Centre, which he also manages as well as heading the Cultural Production Affairs Sector. Under Galal, during the past two decades, hundreds of actors enrolled at the studio have graduated and entered the theatre and film scene, with its most successful play being Qahwa Sada (Black Coffee), which premiered in 2008 and whose cast have become some of the most popular and active actors in Egypt. Amid strict safety measures to avoid spreading Covid-19, Egypt resumed cultural activities in July with most public events held at outdoor venues.