The Greek-Roman Museum in Alexandria hosted the launch of the masterclass by actress Riham Abdel Ghafour as part of the 11th edition of the Alexandria Short Film Festival, which is held under the auspices of the Tourism Promotion Authority. The event saw the attendance of numerous filmmakers and creatives from around the world, gathering to witness this special moment coinciding with the festival's activities, which has become one of the most prominent film festivals in the region in recent years.

The session was opened by actor Khaled Kamal, who expressed his great happiness at being present at the festival, saying: "Yesterday was a special moment during the festival's opening ceremony, and there was a positive energy filling the place. Today, I welcome the attendees and thank them for their continued support of these events, which represent a tribute to the seventh art." Kamal added, "Today, I am pleased to present the first masterclass of actress Riham Abdel Ghafour, who has a long history in the field of art and creativity."

For her part, Riham Abdel Ghafour expressed her immense happiness at being part of the festival, noting that her participation in her first-ever masterclass represents an extraordinary experience in her professional life. She added that one of the biggest challenges she faces as an actress is dealing with changing conditions during filming, from weather fluctuations to last-minute changes in scenes, which require her to maintain her energy and stay calm. She continued, saying, "Challenges in artistic work are endless, but the ability to manage these changes reflects the professionalism of the artist and their readiness to face them."

During the masterclass, Riham Abdel Ghafour revealed that she had worked with acting coach Rami El-Gendy in her recent projects, noting that the characters she portrayed in those works had drained her energy significantly, which impacted her emotional state. She explained that training with El-Gendy helped her acquire additional skills in focus and managing fear and anxiety, which enabled her to deliver her roles more professionally.

Riham Abdel Ghafour also sent a special greeting to the great director Yousry Nasrallah, who was present at the masterclass, expressing her pride at his presence at this important event. She said, "I am grateful for his presence today among us, as he is one of the figures who has influenced my professional life."

Regarding her early career, Riham confirmed that she entered the world of acting in her childhood, emphasizing that success in this field requires a complete combination of factors, starting from talent and training to sincerity in performance and continuous creativity. She added, "Acting is not just a profession, it is a constant challenge and a search for newness and innovation in every role I perform."

About the series "Zulm El-Mastaba," which received positive feedback from the audience, Riham explained that preparing for this work took a long time. Despite the fact that the directors in charge of the direction changed three times during the production period, this did not affect the filming atmosphere, as every individual in the team was well aware of their responsibilities, which contributed to the success of the work. Riham confirmed that she always strives to present distinctive and different roles, which is why the audience has been drawn to her even more.

During her talk, Riham highlighted the importance of diversity in the roles she chooses, mentioning that she spent around 10 years portraying similar roles. However, now she is keen on presenting new roles that challenge her and help develop her artistic abilities. She confirmed that she continues to seek roles that allow her to discover new aspects of her personality and performance, whether in drama or cinema.

Riham Abdel Ghafour concluded her talk by emphasizing the need for artistic work to encourage innovation and renewal, and that the artist must always be in search of the best ways to present themselves to the audience in a new and different way. She said, "Success in art does not come from repeatedly presenting the same characters, but from the ability to innovate and evolve continuously."

The Alexandria Short Film Festival will continue until May 2, featuring screenings of short films from Egypt and around the world, as well as seminars and workshops aimed at supporting young cinematic talents and enhancing dialogue about art and cinema. The festival remains an important platform for creative filmmakers in the Middle East, fostering cultural exchange between artists and audiences from various countries.