The Hurghada Youth Cinema Festival is offering audiences a rare opportunity to discover a different side of Egyptian star Karim Abdel Aziz, through the screening of two films he directed while studying at the Higher Institute of Cinema.
The screenings are part of a special program dedicated to the graduation projects and early works of prominent filmmakers and artists.
The festival’s fourth edition will take place from September 10 to September 15, 2026, featuring a diverse cinematic program with a particular focus on young filmmakers and the relationship between different generations of cinema creators.
🎥 Karim Abdel Aziz as a Director
Karim Abdel Aziz is widely recognized as one of Egypt’s leading actors, but his early academic path also included directing.
He graduated from the Directing Department of the Higher Institute of Cinema in 1997.
The Hurghada festival is now bringing two of his early directing projects back to the screen, offering audiences and young cinema students a glimpse into an important stage of his artistic development. ⭐🎬
The screenings are particularly significant because they demonstrate that successful filmmakers and actors also began their careers through education, experimentation and early creative projects.
🎞️ “Al-Thoqb Al-Aali”
The first film is “Al-Thoqb Al-Aali”, directed by Karim Abdel Aziz and starring Sayed Abdel Karim and Alaa Khamis.
The story was written by Mohamed Abdel Rahman, while the screenplay was written by Tamer Habib.
The film represents one of Abdel Aziz’s early directing experiences and provides today’s young audiences with an opportunity to explore a stage of his career that predates his rise as a major Egyptian acting star.
🎬 “Loha Men Lahm”
The second film is “Loha Men Lahm”, which served as Karim Abdel Aziz’s graduation project.
The film stars Ehab Fahmy, Mirna Walid and Saudi actor Khaled Al Harbi, with a screenplay by Ali Shawky and direction by Karim Abdel Aziz.
The story focuses on young people facing the future, the challenges of life and the pressures associated with entering the “auction of life.”
These themes remain relevant to younger generations, making the film particularly appropriate for a festival centered on youth and emerging filmmakers. 🔥
👀 Why Are Graduation Projects Important?
The festival treats graduation projects as more than old films.
They are considered artistic documents that reveal the early stages of filmmakers’ creative journeys.
For young cinema students, watching such projects can provide valuable insight into how established filmmakers approached their first major creative challenges.
It also offers an important message: every major filmmaker once started with a first project, a first idea and a dream. ✨
🎭 “Yahya Al Adl”
The program also includes “Yahya Al Adl,” the graduation project of director Ashraf Fayeq.
The film features a notable cast including Athar Al Hakim, Ahmed Bedir, Mohamed Henedi, Mohamed Tawfik, Mofeed Ashour and Ashraf Talba.
Its story follows an elderly man who is involved in a road accident.
A journalist, played by Athar Al Hakim, is the only person who stops to help him and takes him to hospital.
However, her humanitarian decision leads to a series of unexpected problems and ultimately results in her being convicted.
🌉 Connecting Cinema’s Past and Future
The graduation-project program is designed to create a bridge between generations of filmmakers.
Young students can see how directors who later became prominent figures began their journeys, while audiences can rediscover films that may not normally receive regular public screenings.
The program therefore combines cinema history, education and inspiration. 🎥📚
🎓 A Learning Opportunity for Young Filmmakers
The screenings also provide an educational experience.
Instead of learning directing techniques only through classroom lectures, students can study real examples of early filmmaking.
They can observe approaches to storytelling, directing actors, framing, visual composition and production decisions.
This transforms the cinema screen into a practical learning environment where young creators can compare different approaches and discuss the evolution of filmmaking styles.
🤝 Cooperation with the Higher Institute of Cinema
The program is organized in cooperation with the Higher Institute of Cinema, strengthening the connection between academic cinema education and film festivals.
Such cooperation allows students to engage with the history of filmmaking while also seeing how earlier generations approached their first projects.
⭐ Strong Audience Interest
The program has attracted significant interest during previous editions, with some screenings reportedly reaching full capacity.
This reflects the growing audience interest in discovering the lesser-known beginnings of major filmmakers and actors.
For many viewers, seeing an early project by a major star can be as fascinating as watching one of their later commercial successes.
🌟 A Message to the Next Generation
Perhaps the strongest message behind the program is that cinematic success rarely happens overnight.
Behind every major name are years of study, experimentation, challenges and first attempts.
Showing Karim Abdel Aziz’s graduation project is therefore more than simply screening an old film.
It is an opportunity to revisit the moment when a young cinema student was developing his artistic identity and building the foundations of a career that would later make him one of Egypt’s most recognizable cinema stars. 🎬❤️
📅 Hurghada Youth Cinema Festival 2026
The fourth edition of the Hurghada Youth Cinema Festival will take place from September 10 to September 15, 2026.
Through its graduation-project program, the festival continues to create a space where cinema’s past can meet its present and future.
The screenings of “Al-Thoqb Al-Aali,” “Loha Men Lahm” and “Yahya Al Adl” provide audiences with an opportunity to explore the beginnings of filmmakers who have contributed to Egyptian cinema.
And this time, Karim Abdel Aziz appears on the festival screen not only as the star audiences know today, but as the young cinema student who once stood at the beginning of his own filmmaking journey. ✨🎥
Continuation.
