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Cairo Film Festival to Screen Internationally Acclaimed Films

A screenshot from Gaza Mon Amour
A screenshot from Gaza Mon Amour
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Cairo Film Festival to Screen Internationally Acclaimed Films

A screenshot from Gaza Mon Amour
A screenshot from Gaza Mon Amour

The Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) has announced the films that will feature in its 42nd edition, scheduled to run from December 2 to10.

In a press release obtained by Asharq Al-Awasat, the festival’s president Mohamed Hefzy said that this year’s edition would screen the premiers of some of the biggest films alongside award-winning and critically acclaimed movies from other major festivals.

Nomadland, an American drama awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and The Toronto International Film Festival Grolsch People’s Choice Award, will feature as part of the festival’s formal screenings and will not be part of the competition for any awards.

Directed by Cloe Zhao, the film stars Oscar-award winning actress Frances McDormand and is set during the great recession; it tells the story of a woman in her sixties who decides to take a journey through the American West and live as a modern-day nomad.

The Disciple will also be screened without being part of the competition for awards. It won this year’s International Film Critics Awards (FIPRESCI Prize) in Venice. Directed by Chaitanya Tamhane and produced by Oscar-award winning director Alfonso Cuaron, the film tells the tale of a young Indian man who dedicates his life to singing classical Indian music and the challenges he faces along the way.

Two other films that will be screened in the formal section are the German-French film Undine, directed by Christian Pitzold, which won the FIPRESCI Prize, while the lead actress Paula Beer Silver Bear for Best Actress in Berlin, and Mogul Mowgli, a British-American production that follows the journey of a British rapper of Pakistani origins who falls ill as he is preparing for his first world tour.

Two years after his previous film, Jumpan, was screened during the festival’s 40th edition in 2018, Ivan I. Tverdovsky will participate with his latest film, The Conference, which is part of the international competition.

Gaza Mon Amour, among this year’s most prominent Arabic films, is also going to be screened. A Palestinian French, German and Portuguese production directed by two twins, Arab and Tarzan Nasser, the film premiered as part of the Venice International Film Festival’s Horizons section before it winning the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema Award (NEPTAC) at the Toronto Festival.

Set in Gaza, it follows a lonely older man who is secretly in love with a dressmaker, and as he tries to find a way to confess his love for her, he discovers an ancient statue that changes his life forever.
CIFF had previously announced that it will honor the Egyptian screenwriter Wahid Hamed with the Golden Pyramid Award for Lifetime Achievement during the opening ceremony and that its Cairo Days of Film Industry will support for 15 fictional and documentary projects from 12 Arab countries.

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Saudi Arabia Joins Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

Wetlands host 40 percent of the world’s species and plant life and store 30 percent of global carbon. (SPA)
Wetlands host 40 percent of the world’s species and plant life and store 30 percent of global carbon. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Joins Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

Wetlands host 40 percent of the world’s species and plant life and store 30 percent of global carbon. (SPA)
Wetlands host 40 percent of the world’s species and plant life and store 30 percent of global carbon. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia, represented by the National Center for Wildlife (NCW), has officially joined the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar), underling its commitment to conserving environmental wealth and natural habitats that support rich biodiversity, promote environmental sustainability, and boost the national economy.

Saudi Arabia’s accession underscores its strong support for global efforts to preserve ecosystems in terrestrial and coastal environments, especially as challenges related to water, climate, and biodiversity become increasingly interconnected.

This step reflects the NCW’s broader efforts in leading a comprehensive development plan that supports research, monitoring, and conservation initiatives.

NCW CEO Dr. Mohammed Qurban stated: “The conservation of wetlands directly contributes to ecological balance, biodiversity protection, and sustainable development. The Kingdom’s accession to the Ramsar Convention is a strategic step that will reap both environmental and economic benefits.”

The center will implement the convention across Saudi territory in cooperation with relevant stakeholders to protect the Kingdom’s natural assets. It also contributes to national and international conservation efforts by developing and executing plans, policies, and legislation.

The NCW is working to identify suitable sites for inclusion in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance and to ensure their effective management.

Wetlands are more than natural landscapes; they are vital ecosystems rich in biodiversity and natural resources. They host 40 percent of the world’s species and plant life, store 30 percent of global carbon, and serve as essential sources of water, food, medicine, and energy.

Wetlands also support agricultural production, regulate climate, provide ecotourism opportunities, and serve as critical stopovers for migratory waterbirds traveling between continents.