The great Egyptian actor Hussein Fahmy, president of the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), marked this 45ᵉ edition by rich and frank exchanges with the press. In an effort to share his vision and answer questions about the challenges and ambitions of the festival, he wanted to successively meet international and Arab journalists, in a transparent and inclusive approach. These meetings made it possible to highlight the complex issues of the CIFF, its commitment to Egyptian and Arabic cinema, as well as its assertive political position, especially in favor of Palestine.
During the meeting with the international press, which included representatives of prestigious media such as Variety, Screen Daily, Verdict film And Cineuropa, Hussein Fahmy opened the discussion by returning to the fundamental role of CIFF in the regional cinematographic landscape. With pride, he recalled that the festival is the oldest and most prestigious in the region, anchored in the rich cinematographic heritage of Egypt. He stressed that the Egyptian film industry, a pillar of creativity for decades, played a decisive role in the development of cinema through the Arab world. This heritage, according to him, should not only be preserved, but also reinvented to meet the requirements of modern times. Hussein Fahmy insisted on the importance of attracting young generations, as much as spectators as as creators, so that Egyptian cinema remains relevant and permanently influences the international scene.
He then approached the assertive position of the festival on the Palestinian cause. Speaking with passion, he described the unwavering support of CIFF as a moral and cultural duty. According to him, the festival is not limited to amplifying this cause through the projected films, but also wants to be a positioning platform on the international scene. He made a parallel with other major festivals such as Cannes, who do not hesitate to defend specific political or social causes, recalling that the presence of the Ukrainian president at the Cannes Film Festival had aroused similar debates. “” If they have the right to defend their causes, we also have the right to defend ours “, He said forcefully, while insisting on the importance for the CIFF to remain a strong and assumed voice for justice and solidarity towards Palestine. He proudly mentioned the choice of the opening film of this edition, which directly addresses the Palestinian cause, and its inclusion in programming as a strong symbolic gesture.
With the Arab press, Hussein Fahmy adopted an equally sincere tone, tackling the many challenges that the festival had to face this year. He recalled that the CIFF had been postponed the previous year because of the dramatic events that occurred in Gaza. “It’s not a war, it’s a genocide “, He said with emotion, stressing that it was impossible to celebrate festivities in such a context. This postponement had significant financial and organizational consequences: contracts had already been concluded, bought films, reserved plane tickets, and certain members of the jury had to withdraw due to other commitments. Despite these difficulties, it was unthinkable to postpone this 45ᵉ edition again, taking into account the strict regulations of the International Federation of Film Producers (FIAPF), which only authorizes one consecutive cancellation.
Hussein Fahmy continued by explaining the budgetary constraints of the CIFF, while emphasizing the importance of partnerships between the State and the private sector to ensure the viability of the festival. He stressed that, although the return on investment in culture is not immediate, it is essential to preserve and promote the Egyptian heritage. The new team set up this year had to fully rework the budget and rethink the organization of the festival. With a modernized and ambitious vision, Hussein Fahmy wants to fight the idea that CIFF is an aging festival. He expressed his desire to make him more accessible and attractive for young people, citing as an example projections outside the city center, which met with considerable success with an audience at the meeting. He also mentioned the triumph of the section Cairo Classicsprojections of classic restored films that have displayed complete each evening.
When journalists asked him what was the difference between his previous experiences as president of the CIFF and the latter, Hussein Fahmy replied with humility that he had not changed personally. “I am always this student who runs to see films in this festival “, He said. However, he recognized that technology had transformed the organization of the festival. “” Before, we had film boxes and volunteers running everywhere with cars to transport them. Today, IT has solved many problems. »»
Hussein Fahmy also celebrated the growing reputation of CIFF internationally, stressing that this year, the festival welcomed the first ten world. Directors like Rashid Masharawi and Zena Abdel Baky waited for several months, or even a whole year, to present their films at the CIFF, proof of their confidence in the importance and quality of this event.
Asked about the possible risks that the festival’s support for Palestine could represent, in particular in terms of international collaborations, Hussein Fahmy replied without detour: “ We will see. And gets what will happen. As others have the right to express themselves and defend their causes, we have the right to express ourselves and defend ours. »»
Hussein Fahmy also shared his attachment to the preservation of the Egyptian cinematographic heritage, by evoking his initiative to restore films launched in 2022. This idea came to him after the restoration of two films that year: one is a film written by Tawfik el-Hakim entitled Journal of a campaign prosecutor (Yaoumeyat na’eb fe al-Aryaf (1969), and directed by Tawfik Saleh, the other is A song about the passage (Ughnia Ala El-Mamar (1972), of the great director Ali Abdel Khalek, who had just died. Since then, the project has grown: ten films have been restored for this edition, chosen personally by Hussein Fahmy for their historical importance, with the aim of restoring ten others each year. These films are now subtitled to make them accessible to an international audience, an essential approach to preserve the Egyptian heritage and make it shine around the world.
Finally, Hussein Fahmy concluded by sharing his total investment in his role as president of the festival, which he considers a role in its own right. “” When I play a character, I devote myself 100 %. It’s the same for the festival. Once this edition is finished, I will disconnect myself to find my acting career. This dedication testifies to his commitment to CIFF an event that is both modern, culturally relevant, and deeply rooted in human values and universal aspirations.
