The Palestinian Gaza Strip was highlighted during the 45th edition of the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), with several Palestinian films and filmmakers awarded during the closing ceremony which took place on Friday evening.
CAIRO, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) — The Palestinian Gaza Strip was highlighted at the 45th edition of the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), with several Palestinian films and filmmakers awarded during the closing ceremony which took place Friday evening.
The documentary “A State of Passion” by Carol Mansour, a Lebanese-Canadian filmmaker of Palestinian origin, and Lebanese producer Mouna Khalidi, which highlights the medical journey of a Palestinian doctor in Palestine, received the prize for best Arab film in the Horizons du cinema Arabe competition.
A Palestinian film competition was launched at this year’s CIFF, in cooperation with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation States Broadcasting Union (OSBU).
The first OSBU Prize of the 45th CIFF was awarded to the documentary “Square Kilometer Dreams” directed by Palestinian filmmaker Qassam Sbeih, the second to “A State of Passion”, and the third to ” Passing Dreams” directed by Palestinian filmmaker Rachid Masharawi.
“Given what is happening in Palestine this year, and especially in Gaza, it was important that the films we made on Gaza were screened at the CIFF,” Rachid Masharawi told Xinhua during the closing ceremony, highlighting the important role of art in supporting just causes.
Furthermore, as part of a special program organized for the anthology film “From Ground Zero”, which brings together 22 short films from Gaza, the “Soft Skin” films Sweet”), “No Signal” and “A School Day” received cash prizes.
The 45th CIFF showed its solidarity with the Palestinian cause on its first day by screening “Passing Dreams” as its opening.
Egyptian actor Hussein Fahmy, the festival president, and CIFF staff all attached a brooch bearing the image of the national flag of Palestine to their outfits as a sign of solidarity and support.
“The 45th CIFF did not take place as planned last year due to the events in Gaza, so we had to cancel the festival at the time. We came back to say through it that Gaza is in our hearts and that the Palestinian people are always with us,” Hussein Fahmy told Xinhua in an earlier interview during the festival.
Launched in 1976, CIFF is one of the oldest film festivals in the Arab world, Africa and the Middle East. This year’s edition featured around 190 films from more than 70 countries and regions.■
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