“Spring came by laughing”, which makes its debut in international competition at CIFF, is the only Egyptian film selected this year. Directed by Noha Adel, the film explores interspersed with four women through a series of stories marked by anger, sorrow, and tears buried under an apparent laugh.
During the press conference of the 45ᵉ edition of the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), chaired by the Egyptian actor Hussein Fahmy, the organizers revealed the main lines of the 2024 edition. This meeting, which marks an important moment for the CIFF, made it possible to present the list of films in competition in the various sections, including the most prestigious section: international competition.
Scheduled from November 13 to 22, 2024, this edition will highlight works from around the world, including from Tunisia, thus offering Egyptian spectators the opportunity to discover rare films in local theaters. Hussein Fahmy stressed the importance of CIFF in promoting cultural diversity and the creation of bridges between cultures, giving access to new works that illustrate the richness of world cinema.
The jury for the international competition will be chaired by the Bosniac director and screenwriter Danis Tanović, Oscar winner for best foreign film in 2001 For no man’s land. He will be surrounded by influential figures of the film industry, including the Egyptian editor Ahmed Hafez, the Italian director Andrea Pallaoro, the Spanish actress Angela Molina, the Thai director Anucha Suwichakornong, the French producer and screenwriter Sylvie Pialat and the Tunisian actress Aïcha Ben Ahmed. Among the films in competition, Egypt will be represented by Spring came laughingde Noha Adel.
Spring came laughing/ Spring Came on Laughing :: A nuanced portrait of women’s inner life
Spring came laughingwhich makes its International Competition Department at CIFF, is the only Egyptian film selected this year. Directed by Noha Adel, the film explores interspersed with four women through a series of stories marked by anger, sorrow, and tears buried under an apparent laugh. This introspective journey plunges into hidden emotions and moments of vulnerability that emerge during the spring season – a season often associated with renewal, but which here also symbolizes concealed truths.
The film takes place within a joyful appearance, but where the flowers, flourishing, reveal painful realities which, once faded, are carried away by an unexpected fall. This poetic framework allows Noha Adel to tackle questions of resilience, loss and secret in the lives of women. She says: “This film represents a jump of faith, a challenge to bring together fragmented stories that have been accompanying me since the end of 2019. With wide open eyes, I felt the need to tell these stories, without knowing how to unify them in a coherent bouquet of my first feature film. ”
An artistic vision inspired by spring
Noha Adel expresses the deep influence that spring exerts on its artistic creation, not as an idyllic season, but as a moment of contrasts and surprises. “” Spring allowed me to see subtle links between my stories. It has never been a simple joyful facade for me. On the contrary, it is a season with striking contrasts, with unexpected sandstorms and hidden truths revealed by tears. She explains that this season allowed her to assemble heterogeneous elements in a coherent work and inspired by spring. The director quotes a poignant quatrain of Salah Jahin, capturing the contrast between the apparent lightness of the season and the depth of personal sorrow: ” Spring came laughing, but finds me sad. »»
The work thus reflects the stories that it has seen, heard or perhaps even experienced itself, an introspection that the director would never admit entirely. The scenes of the film are built around classical Egyptian poetry, the music and landscapes of the country, offering a visual and sound interpretation of the spring season. This artistic composition is all the more striking since Noha Adel does not seek to add an explicit feminist message; On the contrary, the film naturally finds its essence in the female lives and perspectives which it highlights.
An exceptional female team
The film owes its existence to a predominantly female team. Noha Adel says he is grateful to have been able to bring together talented women who have contributed to various aspects of production, from acting to the assistance on the set, including assembly and artistic direction. “” It was essential that this film was seen through the eyes and mind of women. Thanks to the commitment of this incredible team, we were able to produce a film faithful to our common vision. »»
Producer Kawthar Younis and the genesis of the project
Producer Kawthar Younis, also inspired by the vision of Noha Adel, was a pillar in the realization of this project, overcoming with persistence the many obstacles encountered. “” From the start, I was deeply impressed by Noha’s determination to make this film exist. His resilience in the face of challenges confirmed my commitment as a producer and convinced me of her artistic potential. »»
For Kawthar Younis, one of the essential objectives of Spring came laughing is to give a platform to the voices of women, by highlighting the often invisible emotions, hidden under the smile of spring. She evokes a film that explores the unpredictability of life and dissects social conventions, revealing deep emotional complexities through black humor and nested stories.
“” We hope that this film will arouse discussions on the role of female emotions in film culture and will bring a change towards a better representation of women. »»
A tribute to Egyptian cultural traditions
The film pays homage to the Egyptian cultural roots, integrating references to poetry, music and landscapes which illustrate the diversity and depth of the arts in Egypt. In the space of four months of filming, Noha Adel knew how to give life to this artistic vision of spring through a neat aesthetic and narrative construction. She stresses that by making this film, she discovered the deep reasons that led her to these stories, universal stories that affect authentic human emotions and complex relationships.
The Cairo Film International Film Festival: a showcase for world cinema
The CIFF, one of the oldest film festivals in the Arab world and in Africa, is a prestigious showcase for works from various cultures, offering a unique space for dialogue and discovery. The only festival in the region registered in the FIAPF (International Federation of Film producers), the CIFF is distinguished by its ability to attract international talents and encourage cultural exchanges.
With films like Spring came laughingthe CIFF illustrates a desire to offer diversified accounts and to enhance sometimes marginal points of view, by giving a voice to the complex and singular accounts of directors like Noha Adel. This 2024 edition promises to be a celebration of world cinematic wealth, while helping to strengthen the Egyptian and regional film industry.
