On the occasion of its 45ᵉ edition, the Cairo Film International Film Festival (CIFF) pays tribute to Palestine with a special programming in solidarity with the Palestinian people who for a little over a year has been undergoing a murderous war. This edition, which will be held from November 13 to 22, 2024, includes a section entitled Projectors on Palestine and selections of Palestinian films or dealing with Palestine in various categories. Two special juries will reward these works, testifying to Ciff’s assertive cinematographic support for Palestine.
The opening film: Dreams by Rashid Masharawi
The festival opens with Dreams (Or Passing Dreams), directed by Rashid Masharawi, also in international competition. This feature film follows Sami, a 12 -year -old boy, who, with his uncle and his cousin, goes in search of his bird disappeared in the streets of Bethlehem. This trip through emblematic places like Jerusalem and Haifa offers a poetic and symbolic look at daily life under occupation.
Born in Gaza in 1962, Rashid Masharawi is an essential figure in Palestinian cinema. Through works like Haifa (1996), Ticket to Jerusalem (2002), and Laila’s birthday (2008), he highlighted the struggles and hopes of his people, capturing the resilience of the Palestinians with a look full of humanity and accuracy.
From Ground Zero : A collective dive in the life of Gaza
Major project of this edition, From Ground Zero is an anthology of short films made by young filmmakers from Gaza, under the leadership of Rashid Masharawi. This collective project brings together twenty-two segments, each from three to six minutes, which, mixing fiction, documentary and animation, illustrate various aspects of life under the blockade.
Each short film is a raw and sincere fragment of daily life in an environment marked by danger, suffering, and resilience. Through the ruins, simple gestures and moments of hope, the directors tackle universal themes: the dream of freedom, the quest for love and the importance of family ties. The visual and narrative imagination of these young directors demonstrates the strength of artistic creation even in the most extreme situations.
Screened for the first time on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival in May 2024, From Ground Zero has aroused international interest in its emotional scope and its raw and uncompromising gaze. Selected to represent Palestine at the 2025 Oscars in the category of the best international film,, From Ground Zero is much more than a simple film: it has become a manifesto of the resilience of the youth of Gaza and his desire to make his voice heard.
Projectors on La Palestine: three films for three looks
The projectors on the Palestine du Ciff offers three short films that explore the complex realities and hopes of young Palestinians.
1. The Deer’s Tooth, Directed by Saif Hammash | Palestine | Fiction | 2024 | 16 min
This film tells the story of a young refugee who tries to throw his brother’s milk into the sea, a gesture symbolizing hope in a hostile environment.
2. Born to Celebritydirected by Louay Awwad | Palestine | Fiction | 2024 | 13 min*
The film follows Kamel, a teenager in search of freedom, who, in the face of family tensions, goes in search of his own space.
3. Square kilometer Dreamsdirected by Qassam Sbeih | Palestine | Documentary | 2024 | 16 min*
Through testimonies collected in Jenine, this documentary highlights the sufferings and forms of resistance to the realities of the occupation.
Other Palestinian films or concerning Palestine
The CIFF also incorporates other Palestinian works, illustrating various aspects of Palestinian life.
In the “Horizons of Arabic cinema” section:
– The life that remains (World premiere), directed by Dorra Zarrouk | Egypt | Documentary | 2024 | 79 min
This documentary follows Nadine, a young mother from Gaza who found refuge in Egypt, trying to rebuild her life while waiting for her husband.
– Holidays in Palestine (World Premiere), directed by Maxime Lindon | Palestine, France | Documentary | 2024 | 60 min
Shadi, a Palestinian activist who has become a French citizen, returns to Palestine in search of hope, but comes up against an oppressive environment.
– Gazan Talesdirected by Mahmoud Nabil Ahmed | Palestine, Tunisia | Documentary | 2024 | 82 min
This documentary follows four Gaza men looking for a meaning to their existence, exploring themes of love, survival and war.
– A State of Passion: Ghassan Abu Sittahproduced by Carol Mansour and Mouna Khalidi | Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, United Kingdom, Kuwait | Documentary | 2024 | 90 min
This film follows Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah, Palestinian doctor, faced with crises and care under extreme conditions.
In the official selection of short films:
– The poem we bloodproduced by Annie Skapp | Palestine | Documentary | 2023 | 20 min
This experimental documentary in black and white explores the multiple forms of love and uprooting.
Two special juries for Palestinian films
To honor these films, two special juries will award prices to Palestinian works:
– The jury for Gaza films Includes Gabi Khoury, Egyptian producer, Kinda Alloush, Syrian actress, and Ahmed Shawky, Egyptian critic and programmer.
– The jury for the Palestinian film prize is made up of Dr. AMR El-Leithy, president of the Union of Radio-Idifiers of the OIC countries, the Egyptian actor Mostafa Shaaban, and the producer Layali Badr.
A festival under the sign of solidarity
By celebrating the Palestinian creations, the CIFF testifies to its support for the Palestinian people and highlights stories imbued with hope and resistance, offering the public a unique perspective on the life and struggles of the Palestinians and offering them a platform to make their voices heard and know their own narrative.
Neïla Driss
