Cairo film festival names 145 films from 64 countries for its 47th edition

The Cairo International Film Festival has announced 145 films from 64 countries for its 47th edition, which runs from 11 to 20 November 2026. The festival, first held in 1976, marks 50 years this year. Artistic director Mohamed Tarek said the team watched about 5,600 submitted films to make the selection.

The international feature competition has 12 films. Its jury is chaired by the French-Moroccan director Nabil Ayouch, with the Egyptian actress Ghada Adel, the Chinese actress Fan Bingbing, the Belgian director Laura Wandel, the British sound designer Paul Davies and the director Amr Fakhreddine. A separate jury led by Locarno's artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro picks the best Arab film, and 24 films compete for the short film award.

As announced earlier, Asser Yassin receives the Faten Hamama Award of Excellence, and Medhat El-Adl and Said Shimi the Golden Pyramid for lifetime achievement. Cairo Industry Days adds a new programme, From Book to Screen, on adapting novels for film. Festival president Hussein Fahmy said films made with AI will not compete for awards.

The full programme, screening venues and ticket prices have not been announced yet. They usually come out in the weeks before the festival opens, so keep the dates free and watch the festival's own website.