CIFF Names Bosnian Director to Head Official Competition Jury

(FILE) Bosnian film director Danis Tanovic. AFP
(FILE) Bosnian film director Danis Tanovic. AFP
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CIFF Names Bosnian Director to Head Official Competition Jury

(FILE) Bosnian film director Danis Tanovic. AFP
(FILE) Bosnian film director Danis Tanovic. AFP

The Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) announced the appointment of the renowned Bosnian director Danis Tanović as the president of the Official Competition Jury for its 45th edition, scheduled between November 15 and 24.

This choice was made to “bring in prominent figures from the global film industry” to take part in the festival, and to foster CIFF as a platform for expertise exchange among emerging Egyptian, Arab, and international filmmakers participating in the event, according to a statement issued by CIFF on Sunday.

“We are delighted to host esteemed international names at the 45th Cairo Film Festival. Danis Tanović is one of the most important cinema figures in the world, and his works won many awards at prestigious festivals,” Festival President Hussein Fahmy said.

Danis Tanović is one of the best directors and screenwriters in Eastern Europe and the world. Among his renowned works is “No Man’s Land,” which won several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Screenplay at Cannes in 2001. He also directed films such as “An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker” and “Death in Sarajevo,” which won the Silver Bear – Grand Jury Prize at the Berlinale in 2016. Tanović is the only director from Bosnia and Herzegovina to win an Academy Award.

Amir Ramsis, director of CIFF, said: “I am proud to have Danis Tanović as the president of the International Jury at the Festival in its 45th edition. I am delighted that our festival always gives its audience the opportunity to engage with names that have made the history of cinema.”

The upcoming edition of the Egyptian festival celebrates short films given their growing audience, and the CIFF’s selection to qualify one film for the Oscars. It also announced that it’s awarding a money prize of $5,000 to the best short Arabic film partaking in the official competition, and decided to dedicate a new category to the promising Egyptian filmmakers- a non-competitive segment that showcases new work experiences of emerging directors.

The 45th edition of CIFF will honor esteemed director Yousry Nasrallah with the Golden Pyramid Award for his outstanding journey, and Actor Ahmed Ezz with the Faten Hamama Award for Excellence.

The Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) is one of the finest festivals in the Arab world and Africa, and the only festival in the region registered in category A of the International Federation of Producers in Prasles, France, FIAPF.



Princess Kate's New Wax Figure Revealed at Madame Tussauds

The new wax figure of Princess Catherine of Wales (Madame Tussauds)
The new wax figure of Princess Catherine of Wales (Madame Tussauds)
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Princess Kate's New Wax Figure Revealed at Madame Tussauds

The new wax figure of Princess Catherine of Wales (Madame Tussauds)
The new wax figure of Princess Catherine of Wales (Madame Tussauds)

London's Madame Tussauds museum unveiled on Wednesday a new wax figure of Princess Catherine of Wales, wife of Crown Prince William.

The new figure stands next to one of her husband and those of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, AFP reported.

The Princess of Wales, 43, is wearing a sparkly pink Jenny Packham gown and silver pumps, as well as a Royal Victorian Order blue sash.

“The new figure is styled in honor of an evening outfit Kate wore to King Charles' second annual Diplomatic Reception in December 2023,” Madame Tussauds said.

It is finished with an exact replica of the Lover's Knot tiara, which had been worn in the 1980s by the museum's figure of Princess Diana.

Senior general manager at Madame Tussauds, Steve Blackburn, said the Princess of Wales, also known as Kate, was “majestically crafted by our talented studio team.”

She “has been sculpted to ensure her resemblance is fit for a future queen, alongside her dashing husband,” Blackburn added.

Kate's new double has been put in place nearly 14 months after the princess announced she had been diagnosed with an unspecified cancer and was having chemotherapy in March 2024.

The shock announcement came only weeks after officials revealed that King Charles III, 76, had also been diagnosed with cancer.

The London tourist attraction first launched wax figures of William and Kate in April 2012, a year after their wedding.