Published Date: 2025-05-02 11:30:29 Updated At: 2025-05-02 11:30:29

At exactly 7 PM this evening, the curtain will fall on the eleventh edition of the Alexandria Short Film Festival with a closing ceremony held at the Sayed Darwish Theatre in the Alexandria Opera House, presented by actor Khaled Kamal. The ceremony will also feature a performance by the Anfoushi Arabic Music Ensemble, led by maestro Haitham Bassiouny, offering a selection of folkloric songs that reflect Alexandria’s rich artistic identity and lend a special cultural flavor to the evening—capturing the spirit of the historic coastal city.

Khaled Kamal had also hosted the festival’s opening ceremony, which honored actress Riham Abdel Ghafour with the Golden Hypatia Award in recognition of her rich artistic career spanning years of outstanding work in cinema and television drama. Actor Ahmed Malek was also honored as one of the most prominent young talents in the Egyptian art scene, having made a strong impression through diverse roles in cinema, theater, and television.

The Alexandria Short Film Festival is considered one of the most important cinematic platforms in Egypt and the Arab region. Launched in 2015, it has become an annual artistic space that brings together short filmmakers and provides them with a platform to showcase their work and connect with a wide audience of cinema lovers. The festival is supported by the Egyptian General Authority for Tourism Promotion, as part of a broader vision to integrate cultural and artistic promotion with tourism efforts, positioning Alexandria as a time-honored cultural hub.

This year’s eleventh edition marks a significant milestone following ten successful previous editions. A notable highlight was the announcement by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences—the body responsible for the Oscars—that films winning the Golden Hypatia Award at this edition would be eligible to compete for the Oscars starting next year. This is a major achievement for the festival and the Arab film industry at large, as it opens a new gateway for Arab creators to reach a global audience through short films.

The festival ran from April 27 to May 2, featuring a variety of short films representing cinematic experiences from Egypt, the Arab world, and internationally. The program also included thought-provoking seminars and specialized workshops attended by filmmakers, critics, and cinema professionals. These activities aimed to support the new generation of filmmakers by offering them an interactive educational environment to develop their artistic and technical skills.

This year’s selection of films was diverse in both subject matter and style, ranging from drama and documentary to animation and experimental films—highlighting the richness and variety of the short film scene both locally and globally. The edition also saw strong audience engagement, with screening halls filled with critics, filmmakers, students, and the general public, underscoring the festival’s growing popularity as a cinematic event with wide appeal.

The festival also organized panel discussions on the future of short films, challenges in production, the impact of modern technology on the industry, and the vital role of festivals in supporting independent cinema. Several well-known filmmakers were invited to share their experiences with young participants, reinforcing the festival’s educational aspect.

This year’s edition placed special emphasis on showcasing Alexandria’s cultural identity, with musical and artistic performances inspired by the city’s heritage. A dedicated section was also created for films exploring the sea and the city in symbolic and cinematic contexts. The festival collaborated with several cultural institutions in Alexandria to organize parallel events aimed at spreading film culture among different segments of society, including schools and universities.

The workshops held alongside the festival offered rare opportunities for participants to learn directly from leading experts in directing, writing, cinematography, editing, and distribution. One of the workshops, titled “From Idea to Screen,” focused on the process of creating a short film from inception to festival screening, receiving great appreciation from participants.

The festival’s management expressed its pride in the accomplishments of this edition, emphasizing that support from the government and cultural institutions played a key role in its success. They affirmed that what has been achieved so far is only the beginning of more milestones to come, highlighting the importance of developing infrastructure for short film production in Egypt and the region and expanding opportunities for young creators to share their visions and experiences.

The inclusion of the Alexandria Short Film Festival in the list of Oscar-qualifying festivals marks a turning point in its history, granting it international status and placing it on the global map of recognized festivals. Participating filmmakers welcomed this development, seeing it as a strong motivation to create higher-quality, more creative works.

As the closing ceremony concludes tonight, the curtain falls on a festival edition rich in artistic and organizational achievements—affirming Alexandria’s enduring role as a cradle of creativity, a mirror of Egypt’s cultural depth, and a shining gateway for Arab cinema to the world.