Events of the 26th session of the Ismailia International Festival for Documentary and Short Films will open tomorrow, Wednesday, which will continue until February 11, under the chairmanship of director Hala Galal.
The opening ceremony will be held at 7 pm, in the presence of Dr. Ahmed Fouad Hano, Minister of Culture, and Major General Pilot Akram Mohamed Galal, Governor of Ismailia, along with a group of stars and filmmakers, including Amr Youssef, Rania Youssef, Salwa Mohamed Ali, Mohamed Hatem, Amira Fathy, Hala Khalil, and Sandra Nashat, in addition to a number of Egyptian and Arab filmmakers.
In her statements before the start of the festival, director Hala Galal confirmed that this session is distinguished by the diversity of participating films and accompanying activities, noting that the festival seeks to present cinematic works that discuss societal issues in a sophisticated artistic style, and also provides a platform for new talents to display their creativity to a wide audience.
The opening ceremony will feature the Egyptian film “Thuraya”, a drama inspired by real events, which tells the story of a girl living in a remote village who faces difficult challenges after her brother is diagnosed with a rare disease, while unknown gangs continue to murder girls in her village. The film is directed by Ahmed Badr Karam, in his first feature film experience, and highlights societal issues such as ignorance, fear and exploitation, through an exciting plot that combines drama and suspense.
Over the course of a week, the festival will present a variety of documentary and short films, in addition to workshops and discussion sessions attended by a group of critics, directors and those interested in the film industry. The festival also includes special screenings of documentaries and short animated films that address humanitarian, cultural and social topics.
It is worth noting that the festival is held annually by the National Cinema Center. The Ismailia International Festival, whose first session was launched in 1991, is one of the oldest film festivals in the region, as it is distinguished by its focus on documentary and short films, which makes it a prominent platform for works of a distinguished artistic nature, and a major supporter of new talents in the field of cinema.
