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As part of the cooperation between the Jesuit Cultural Center of Alexandria and Cairo International Short Film Festival, we are pleased to announce a celebration by the Cinema Club of the Jesuit Cultural Center to discuss the Cairo International Short Film Festival, the organisation of its previous editions, the latest developments in the organisation of the 6th edition in December 2024, and the support provided by the Festival to short films.
The discussion is lead by the researcher, writer and film critic Mr. Ahmed Misery
Guests from the festival’s board
– Director Waheed Sobhy (festival president)
– Film critic Ahmed Al-Nabi (festival director)
– Mr. Tamer bagato (Executive Director)
– Photography director Joseph Karam
– Researcher, writer and film critic Ahmed Misery
During the event, a collection of films that received the festival awards in previous editions will be screened.
The Jesuit Cultural Center is honoured to screen the following films in the presence of two of the filmmakers.
– “My Girlfriend”
Written and directed by: Kothar Younis
About the film:
Desperate for intimacy, Ali follows his girlfriend’s suggestion that puts their relationship to the test. The plan unfolds unexpectedly when gender roles become blurred.
About the director:
Kothar Younis
An Egyptian director studied film directing at the High Institute of Cinema in Cairo. Her graduation project was the documentary “A Present from the Past”, which has been an unprecedented mass outreach and success. The film was screened at several local and international film festivals and was praised at both levels, Its short film “About Separation” graduation project also received funding from Afac Foundation and participated in FID Marseille as well as the official competition of the Academy Award-eligible Odence Film Festival.
Kawthar worked as an assistant director from 2009 to 2019, on numerous television shows and feature films with different directors such as Yousry Nasrallah, Mohammed Shaker, Eric Barbier and then began working as a producer of TV advertisements and films in 2019. Since then, she has been a producer in several short films and miniseries, and she is also a co-founder of the inaugural film “Sisters in Cinema Novels” for the Middle East and North Africa region.
– “Drams”
Written and directed by: Nahid Nasr
About the film:
What does it take to break free from the body cage? Is it a cage? Is it emancipation? What will remain of the last person? What do we benefit from the new image? Here’s a strange journey within the mind and soul of a passing person.
About the director:
Nahid Nasr
Egyptian film director and journalist.
“Drums” is her first short documentary, which received the award for the Best Short Film of the National Egyption Film Festival.
She directed two short school films, “The Film” and “The Sea.” The two films participated in several local and regional film festivals, including the Jesuit Film Festival, the ACT Women’s Mobil Film Festival, the Zawya Short Cinema Festival, the Sudan Independent Film Festival, the Cairo Short Cinema Festival “Visions”, and the National Egyptian Cinema Festival. She also won two film awards.
Nahid also works as a journalist, television producer and director, and her work focuses on the independent Egyptian art scene.
– “Mama”
Written and directed by: Naji Ismail
About the film:
The film is based on a real story from Alexandria. Due to her mother’s illness, a young girl has to plays the role of a mother for her younger brother. As the mother is in quarantine, the girl has to wear a gas mask while bringing her food. In her final days the mother’s dark secret is revealed
About the director:
Naji Ismail
An Egyptian director, he went to the High Institute of Cinema from 2001 to 2006.
In 2010, he was selected out of 20 directors for a 6-week scholarship to study documentary film by George Washington University.
In the second half of 2012, Naji founded Rahala for Production and Distribution, a production company that aims to produce low-cost but good quality films through a different production system from that in Egypt.
In 2013 he wrote and directed the short documentary “Om Amira” and the film was screened in Berlin short film competition in 2014.
In 2016, he wrote and directed the short feature film “The Builders”, which was screened at the Dubai Film Festival.
Naji Produced 5 Films
1 – Om Amira 2014 – Short Documentary
3 – Fathi No Longer Lives Here 2016 – Short Demo Film
4 -128 Blue Fight 2019 – Short film
– “Heart!, You Deserve That! “
Written and directed by: Lamia Idriss
About the film:
Film on the social pressures experienced by unmarried women over 30 years of age. The 35-year-old filmmaker during a 30 minutes’ drive interviews women in their mid-30s who reflect different social views.
About the director:
Lamia Idriss
Egyptian filmmaker, born in Alexandria, 1983. She graduated from the Faculty of Arts Department of Languages and Translation in 2005 and she is passionate about acting and the film industry.
Lamia participated in several workshops for filmmaking and in 2017, she joined the workshop “Cinedelta” and completed her first short documentary titled “Heart, You Deserve That!”. The film participated in several local and international festivals and received many awards, including
Special mention from Aswan International Women’s Film Festival 2020
Best Short Film Award from the Malmo Arab Film Festival 2020
Best Inspiring Documentary Award at the African Youth Arts Festival 2021.
Aziza Amir Award for Best Director of the Cairo International Short Film Festival 2021
Attendance is free without pre-registration
Translated by Mariam Metwali
