The director of the Egyptian Nile satellite channel, Yousef Riskallah, has announced that the Montpellier Film Festival will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Egyptian cinema industry.
“The festival will screen, between 15-23 November, 76 films on the anniversary to represent the Egyptian production up until the 1970s,” the Egyptian festival coordinator told Agence France Presse.
“The festival will witness the release of a 400-page book by a number of Egyptian critics including Samir Farid, Ali Abu Shadi, Ahmed Al Hadari and Majeda Maurice,” he added.
Among the films scheduled to be screened at the festival is one about Mohammed Al Qalyoubi by Mohammed Kamel Al Qalyoubi, the Egyptian cinema pioneer. The film features most of the work of the latter, including Awdat Saad Zaghlool Minal Manfa (Return of Saad Zaghlool from Exile) in 1923.
Also, the films Barsoum Yabhath A’an Wazifa (Barsoum Seeks a Job) from 1923, and Al Khatib Nimreh 13 (Fiancé No. 13), from 1933, will be screened.
The old films which have been revamped by the Cultural Development Fund go back to the 1930s and include Al Dahaya (Victims) by Ibrahim Lama, from 1932, and Laila Al Badawiyyeh (Nomadic Laila), from 1937, directed by Bahigah Hafez - the first Arab woman to work in this field.
All the films of the late Shadi Abdel Salam will be screened at the festival, including Al Momyaa (Mummy), Al Fallah Al Fasih (Fluent Farmer), Kursi Tutankhamen (Chair of Tutankhamen) and Juyoush Al Shams (Sun Soldiers).
The festival will honor director Kamal Al Sheikh and will screen his films Hayah Aw Mawt (Life or Death), Al Manzel Raqam 13 (House No.13), Al Less Wal Kilab (Thief and Dogs) and Al Suaud Ela Al Hawiyah (Ascend to the Decent).
Films belonging to various genres will be screened, including Salameh Bikheir (Salameh's Alright) by Niazi Mustafa, Al A’zimah (Strength) by Kamal Salim, Siraa’ Fil Wadi (Struggle in the Valley) by Yousef Shahin, as well as Al Haram (Taboo) and Dua’a Al Karawan (Curlew Prayers) by Henry Barakat – Albawaba.com
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