Egyptian cinema is preparing for new momentum. On September 23, 2025, the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) announced the signing of an unprecedented partnership with the National Institutes of Culture of the European Union (EUNIC), represented in Egypt by the Italian Cultural Institute in Cairo, as part of the EU–Egypt Cultural Program 2023–2027. Through this collaboration, the festival will offer young filmmakers from all over the country a unique opportunity to perfect their art and exchange with European experts, during an intensive workshop organized during its 46th edition, from November 12 to 21, 2025.
For CIFF, the agreement was signed by its president, Mr. Hussein Fahmi, and for EUNIC by Dr. Maurizio Guerra, director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Cairo and coordinator of the EU–Egypt program. But beyond the official signatures, this partnership embodies a simple and profound ambition: to make cinema a bridge between cultures and to offer young Egyptian talents a platform to express their creativity.
As part of the “Cairo Industry Days” program, ten filmmakers from less privileged governorates will be invited to participate in a five-day workshop led by European professionals. The opportunity for them to confront new techniques of visual storytelling, production and presentation of projects, but also to dialogue, exchange and nourish their inspiration with recognized figures of international cinema. This kind of experience can transform a career, and CIFF is fully aware of this.
“We are proud to support the next generation of Egyptian filmmakers and open doors to international expertise for them», explains Mr. Hussein Fahmi. “Exchanging with professionals from Europe, discovering new perspectives, sharing experiences: all this nourishes creativity and contributes to strengthening the presence of Egyptian cinema in the world.»
Since its creation in 1976, the Cairo International Film Festival has become a true institution. The first international film festival in the Arab world and Africa, and the only festival in the region accredited by the FIAPF, the CIFF has always been a place where films meet their audience, where young people discover the cinema professions and where lasting cultural links are forged. The 46th edition, under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture, once again promises to bring Egypt and the world into dialogue through cinema, from November 12 to 21, 2025.
EUNIC, for its part, brings together the cultural institutes of the Member States of the European Union and has worked for several years to promote artistic and cultural exchanges. The network supports projects that strengthen mutual understanding and encourage sustainable development, while creating bridges between Europe and Egypt. Thanks to this cooperation, Egyptian cinema benefits from a new lease of life, and young directors can measure themselves against international practices while remaining anchored in their local reality.
This partnership perfectly illustrates what the CIFF has always defended: cinema as a vector of emotions, dialogue and creativity, but also as a tool for social transformation. For the young filmmakers who cross the threshold of the workshop, it is a rare chance to be heard, to learn and to forge connections that could shape their artistic journey for years to come.
