‘Alam’ Wins Prime Prize at Cairo Movie Competition

Palestinian filmmaker Firas Khoury’s fiery coming-of-age drama “Alam” (The Flag) took house the Golden Pyramid on the Cairo Intl. Movie Competition, which wrapped with a glitzy award ceremony within the Egyptian capital on Tuesday evening.

Khoury’s politically charged debut, which world premiered on the Toronto Intl. Movie Competition, struck a chord with each the worldwide jury, headed by Japanese filmmaker Naomi Kawase, and moviegoers in Cairo, who additionally handed “Alam” the viewers award. At a rousing Center East premiere on Nov. 18, moviegoers burst into applause a number of instances throughout the screening.

Khoury, who addressed the viewers at Cairo’s Opera Home with a pre-recorded message, was unable to attend the pageant. The director, an Israeli citizen touring on a Palestinian passport, was not granted a visa by Egyptian authorities.

“Alam” follows a Palestinian-Israeli teen who undergoes a political awakening sparked by a fairly, outspoken woman from his highschool class, who spurs him to affix a gaggle of classmates in a dangerous flag operation on the eve of Israel’s Independence Day. Lead actor Mahmoud Bakri received a share of high appearing honors for his efficiency, together with Maher Elkheir, the star of Ali Cherri’s Cannes Administrators’ Fortnight participant “The Dam.”

The Silver Pyramid for finest director went to Emmanuelle Nicot for “Love In line with Dalva,” a robust drama a few 12-year-old woman who grows up in foster care after being separated from her abusive father. Nicot’s directorial debut continued its profitable streak after nabbing the prizes for finest cinematography and finest directorial debut on the Camerimage Movie Competition final week, and scooping a trio of awards following its premiere within the Critics’ Week part at Cannes. French actress Zelda Samson, feted on the Croisette for her first main function, additionally received the appearing award in Cairo.

The venerable Egyptian pageant wrapped a profitable forty fourth version this week with a new leadership team led by director Amir Ramses, who was previously creative director at El Gouna.

Although the rival Egyptian fest scrapped its 2022 version, the Arab pageant circuit has had no scarcity of star-studded occasions this fall, with the lately concluded Marrakech boasting a lineup that included Tilda Swinton, Paolo Sorrentino, Vanessa Kirby, Diane Kruger and Tahar Rahim, whereas Saudi Arabia’s Pink Sea Movie Competition has tapped Oliver Stone to head its primary jury subsequent month.

Cairo pageant president Hussein Fahmy nonetheless insisted that the grande dame of Arab cinema continues to be the area’s lodestar. “Competitors? Carry it on. We’ve the infrastructure, the legacy,” Fahmy advised Selection on the eve of the closing ceremony. “We’re able to compete with any occasion, however I might really prefer to have extra festivals round.” 

Describing Cairo because the “Hollywood of the Center East,” he added that the pageant’s function needs to be to rejoice Egyptian cinema and supply a platform for rising native filmmakers. 

Egyptian director Ahmad Abdalla actually didn’t disappoint: The one film to signify the host nation in Cairo’s primary competitors, Abdalla’s “19B” received the award for finest Arab movie from the pageant’s competitors sections in addition to the FIPRESCI Award from the Intl. Affiliation of Movie Critics. The movie’s cinematographer, Mostafa Elkashef, was additionally honored with the Henry Barakat Award for finest creative contribution.

Egyptian documentary filmmaker Sherief Elkatsha, in the meantime, received the award for finest non-fiction movie within the pageant’s Horizons of Arab Cinema competitors part, whereas the prize for finest Arabic movie went to Carlos Chahine’s “Mom Valley.” “Riverbed,” by Bassem Breche, received a particular jury award and an appearing award for its star, Carole Abboud.

Right here’s the entire checklist of winners:

Worldwide Competitors

The Golden Pyramid Award for Finest Movie

“Alam,” by Firas Khoury

The Silver Pyramid, Particular Jury Award, for Finest Director

“Love In line with Dalva,” by Emmanuelle Nicot

The Bronze Pyramid Award for Finest First or Second Work

“Bread and Salt,” by Damian Kocur

Naguib Mahfouz Award for Finest Screenplay

“A Man,” by Kei Ishikawa

Finest Actor Award

Maher Elkheir (“The Dam”)
Mahmoud Bakri (“Alam”)

Finest Actress Award

Zelda Samson (“Love In line with Dalva”)

Henry Barakat Award for Finest Inventive Contribution

Mostafa Elkashef (“19B”)

The Horizons of Arab Cinema Competitors

Saad Eldin Wahba Award for Finest Arabic Movie

“Mom Valley,” by Carlos Chahine

Salah Abu Seif Award the Particular Jury Award

“Riverbed,” by Bassem Breche

Finest Non-Fiction Movie Award

“Far From the Nile,” by Sherief Elkatsha

Finest Performing Efficiency Award

Carole Abboud (“Riverbed”)

Particular Mentions

“I’m Coming Residence,” by Yassine Redissi
Lyna Khoudri (“Houria”)

Worldwide Critics’ Week Competitors Awards

Shadi Abdel Salam Award for Finest Movie

“Pamfir,” by Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk

Fathy Farag Award for Finest Inventive Contribution

“Joyland,” by Saim Sadiq

Particular Point out

“Sufferer,” by Michal Blasko

Quick Movie Competitors

Youssef Chahine Award for Finest Quick Movie

“Rosemary A.D. (After Dad),” by Ethan Bakhret

The Particular Jury Award

“My Girlfriend,” by Kawthar Younis

Particular Point out

“One Fucking Want,” by Piotr Jasiński

Finest Arab Movie Award

Finest Arab Movie

“19B,” by Ahmad Abdalla 

Particular Point out

“Riverbed,” by Bassem Breche

The Worldwide Federation of Movie Critics

FIPRESCI Award

“19B,” by Ahmad Abdalla 

Viewers Award

“Alam,” by Firas Khoury

Marta Balaga contributed to this report.