The Cairo International Film Festival returns this year after its 2023 edition ended up being cancelled owing to Israel's war on Palestine – and for this 45th edition, which will unfold from 13-22 November, the festival shows its support of Palestine with a special tribute to Palestinian cinema, highlighting its rise, resilience, and contributions to the path towards self-determination.

The full programme was announced during the pre-event press conference on Sunday 3 November and revealed a traditionally strong European presence. 

In the International Competition, eight of the selected films are European productions or co-productions. The solo European entries are the Hungarian film January 2 [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Zsófia Szilágyi, the French production Meet the Barbarians [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Julie Delpy, the Romanian flick The New Year That Never Came [+lire aussi :
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interview : Bogdan Mureşanu
fiche film] by Bogdan Mureșanu, and the Italian feature Vittoria [+lire aussi :
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interview : Alessandro Cassigoli et Ca…
fiche film] by Alessandro Cassigoli and Casey Kauffman. The co-productions are the collaboration between Belgium and France Maldoror [+lire aussi :
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interview : Fabrice Du Welz
fiche film] by Fabrice du Welz, the Serbian-US feature When the Phone Rang [+lire aussi :
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interview : Iva Radivojević
fiche film] by Iva Radivojević, and the opening film Passing Dreams [+lire aussi :
interview : Rashid Masharawi
fiche film] by Rashid Masharawi, a joint work by professionals from Palestine, Sweden and France.

The parallel competition sections also include European productions and co-productions. Three French co-productions will be presented within the Horizons of Arab Cinema Competition thus underscoring France’s continued involvement in regional narratives: Diaries from Lebanon [+lire aussi :
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interview : Myriam El Hajj
fiche film] by Lebanese filmmaker Myriam El Hajj, also co-produced by Qatar and Saudi Arabia; the collaboration with Palestine Holidays in Palestine by Maxime Lindon, and The Bridge [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by the Tunisian filmmaker living in France Walid Mattar.

In the Critics’ Week Competition, European-conceived and financed titles also feature in the lineup: Eva Nathena’s The Murderess from Greece, Wild Diamond [+lire aussi :
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interview : Agathe Riedinger
fiche film] by Agathe Riedinger from France, plus the multi-national productions Brief History of a Family [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Chinese filmmaker Lin Jianjie, additionally supported by production companies from France, Denmark, and Qatar, and September Says [+lire aussi :
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interview : Ariane Labed
fiche film] by Ariane Labed, a co-production between Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Germany. 

"Recognising the festival’s role in preserving cinematic heritage, we’ve also dedicated a new look at Egyptian and international film classics, presenting restored works using the latest technologies to offer a deeper understanding of cinema history”, said festival president Hussein Fahmy. The new Artistic Director, Essam Zakaria, also confirmed that “this year’s edition will feature an unprecedented emphasis on classics, with a dedicated programme and specialised screening venues.”

While the Golden Pyramid Honorary Award will be presented to Egyptian director Yousry Nasrallah, who began his career in 1982 and has made significant contributions to auteur cinema, including acclaimed films such as Summer Thefts, The Gate of Sun, and After the Battle [+lire aussi :
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fiche film], the Faten Hamama Excellence Award will honour both Danis Tanović, the Bosnian filmmaker known for his Oscar-winning film No Man’s Land [+lire aussi :
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fiche film], who is also this year’s Jury President, and Ahmed Ezz, the Egyptian actor recognised for his performances in various blockbuster films such as The Hostage and the Sons of Rizk trilogy.

Furthermore, Russian cinema is also welcome in Cairo, represented by two brand-new titles: Natalia Nazarova’s Postmarks in the International Competition, and Nikolai Larionov’s Endless Winter screening in the International Panorama sidebar.