Established in 1976, the CIFF is the oldest annually running and only internationally accredited film festival in Africa and the MENA region. Cairo Industry Days (CID), the festival’s industry division, boasts a thriving forum for industry deal-making, co-production, and knowledge sharing that has hatched and supported an impressive array of leading Arab film projects over the past few years.
New Appointments: Mohamed Tarek was appointed as the festival’s new Artistic Director, emphasizing the discovery of fresh cinematic voices and early preparation for the festival’s 47th edition.
Expansion of Arab Cinema: The festival has significantly increased support for Arab cinema, with Egyptian and Arab films making up nearly a quarter of its program last year.
Cairo Film Connection: The 10th edition of this co-production platform selected 15 projects from 10 Arab countries.
Film Restoration & Tributes: Highlights included the restoration of 24 Egyptian film classics and tributes to legendary artists like Ahmed Ezz, who was awarded the Faten Hamama Award for Excellence, and director Yousry Nasrallah, who received a Golden Pyramid Honorary Award. International Outreach: Following the 46th edition, President Hussein Fahmi held talks to expand cooperation with the Beijing International Film Festival.
CIFF 2026: The 47th edition is officially scheduled for November 11th to the 20th.
