The Aswan International Women’s Film Festival (AIWFF) opened its ninth edition in a hotel in Aswan overlooking the Nile River on Friday, 2 to 7 May, with a tribute to the Arab singer, Umm Kulthum, commemorating the 50th anniversary of her death.
Mohamed Abdel Khaleq, the Festival President, called the 9th edition a warm-up for an even bigger 10th edition.
This year’s edition features a lineup of 72 films from 34 countries in competition, including six feature films making their regional premieres in Africa and the Middle East. Notable films featured in the festival include The Bird in the Chimney (2024) from Switzerland, Moon (2024) from Austria, and Milano (2024), a co-production between Belgium and the Netherlands.
The opening ceremony, led by Jasmin Taha Zaki, revealed several exciting new initiatives for this year’s festival.
One of the key highlights was the new “South Films” competition, a fresh addition that focuses on showcasing regional film talent. The festival also expanded its cultural offerings with a variety of public events, such as live music, circus performances, and talks with notable figures.
The festival, open to the public free of charge, is held under the patronage of several national institutions such as the Ministries of Culture and Tourism, the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority, EgyptAir, the National Council for Women, the Aswan Governorate, Aswan University, and the Syndicate of Cinematic Professions.
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