The evening of Wednesday, November 12, 2025, marked the opening of the 46th Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), a key event on the Arab and international cinematic calendar. The Egyptian capital welcomed an impressive gathering of stars, cultural figures, and industry professionals—both Egyptian, including Youssra, Lebleba, Yousry Nasrallah, and Laila Eloui, and international guests—who came together for the launch of this new edition.
The ceremony began with the Egyptian national anthem, followed by a musical performance, before festival president Hussein Fahmy delivered his opening speech. He declared: “Today we celebrate the opening of the 46th edition of the Cairo International Film Festival, which I have the honor to preside over. Egypt, a land of art, culture, and history, is reshaping its present today through the devoted steps and efforts of its people; these efforts grant us sincere feelings of pride, happiness, and belonging.”
He also highlighted Egypt’s continued commitment to its neighbors: “Egypt has never forgotten to support its brothers nor neglected its humanitarian duty, as shown in its support for our brothers in Sudan and Lebanon, and its historic commitment to the Palestinian cause, culminating in the Sharm El-Sheikh Agreement to halt the aggression on Gaza.”
Fahmy went on to acknowledge several Egyptians recently honored on the international stage, including “Dr. Khaled El-Anani, Secretary-General of UNESCO, and Dr. Mina Rizk, Chair of the FAO Executive Council.” He also praised “the national youth football team qualifying for the World Cup,” and “the spectacular inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum,” noting that the museum crowns decades of effort and reflects a long cultural tradition in a country that “has loved art and culture for thousands of years.” He concluded with a confident statement: “Egypt is always capable of miracles and, through its will and its work, of creating exceptional moments—cinematic moments that remain immortal in our story.”
Minister of Culture Dr. Ahmed Fouad Henno then officially declared the festival open. In his remarks, he celebrated “the magic of the camera that lets us enter countless worlds and live a thousand lives.” Recalling the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, he noted that Howard Carter had glimpsed “the king’s features crafted by the hands of an Egyptian artist—an instant whose emotions were never captured, but which cinema has brought back to life.” He emphasized the significance of the newly inaugurated Grand Egyptian Museum, which “restores that moment to its glory, returns energy to the imagination, and gives Egyptian civilization its voice.” The minister also underlined the importance of “thousands of real stories that deserve to be seen and told,” and highlighted cinema’s ability to “rediscover the human within us and become a promise of peace, life, and beauty.”
The ceremony continued with a presentation by Hussein Fahmy on the ongoing effort to restore Egyptian cinema’s heritage. He noted: “We continue our initiative to restore around 1,400 Egyptian films in order to preserve our artistic heritage and an immense body of work.” He added that this year the festival is screening more than twenty restored films, including ten already shown during the 45th edition—brought back due to high public interest—along with a new selection of restorations. Before-and-after footage was screened, illustrating the scope of the work undertaken by the restoration teams.
Fahmy then thanked the festival’s partners and sponsors, before presenter Jasmin Taha Zaki took the stage. She reminded the audience that “each new edition of the Cairo International Film Festival brings together those who love cinema, united by their passion for this art.” She added that Egypt is undergoing a genuine cultural renaissance and that cinema is “more than an industry—it is a consciousness, a dream, and the memory of a nation.”
A video showcasing films from the festival’s various competitions was followed by the announcement of the official juries.
The evening also featured two major tributes. The first honored Turkish filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan, president of the International Competition jury, who received the Golden Pyramid for Lifetime Achievement. The second tribute recognized actor Khaled El Nabawy, recipient of the Faten Hamama Excellence Award. He expressed his gratitude to “Egypt, the festival management, the Minister of Culture, Hussein Fahmy, and the audience,” dedicating the award “to the souls of my parents, to my wife Mona El Maghraby, and to my children Karim, Nour, and Ziyad,” as well as to the filmmakers who shaped his career. He concluded by dedicating the award “to the people of Palestine.”
A further tribute honored veteran director Mohamed Abdel Aziz, who also received the Golden Pyramid. He reflected: “I will never forget this tribute after a long journey in cinema, theater, and television,” offering advice to younger filmmakers: “The more you give to cinema, the more it gives back many times over.”
The ceremony closed with the announcement of the opening film, the Brazilian feature The Blue Trail.
As the evening came to an end, one observation stood out. Previous editions of the festival were marked by elaborate décor, visual installations, and carefully designed spaces throughout the Cairo Opera House, all contributing to a festive cinematic atmosphere from the moment guests arrived. None of these elements were present this year. Aside from the single musical performance at the start, there were no crafted sets and no artistic interventions shaping the rhythm of the evening. The ceremony consisted solely of the presentation of the juries, the tributes, and the announcement of the opening film.
This pared-down approach raises an essential question: does it reflect an intentional artistic decision, or is it the result of budgetary constraints? With no official clarification, both possibilities remain open. In some festivals, a minimalist ceremony reflects an editorial choice focused on speeches and programming rather than scenography. In others, the reduction of visual installations, staging, and decorative elements aligns with operational budget cuts, prioritizing essential components such as the films and the juries.
Whether by intention or necessity, the absence of these elements is particularly noticeable at the Cairo Opera House, where past editions used décor and scenography to shape the festival’s identity. In previous years, nearly the entire space was decorated, illuminated, and animated, creating a visual experience that drew visitors in, encouraged photography, and immersed the public in the festival’s world. Nothing of that spirit was present in 2025.
The 46th edition of CIFF thus opens with a ceremony stripped down to its core. Whether this marks a new direction for the festival or simply a transitional moment in its visual history remains to be seen. Festivals live not only through their films and programming, but also through the spaces they create and the atmosphere they cultivate. In the coming days, it will become clearer whether this restrained opening signals a shift in how CIFF envisions its identity—or whether it is merely an exception in its long tradition of cinematic celebration.
Neïla Driss
