On a balmy 1 March evening in Cairo, the widely acclaimed Catholic Centre Film Festival (CCFF) announced the awards for its 72nd edition.
As typical with CCFF events, the gathering exuded warmth and courtesy. A great number of people in Egypt’s cinema gathered to celebrate the culmination of a week-long screening of the films participating in this year’s festival.
Given that the CCFF’s raison d’être is to celebrate filmmaking that focuses on human and moral values, a special CCFF committee had selected for screening six films out of a total 46 which had applied to participate. The selection was based on humane, ethical and artistic standards.
Filmmakers have over the years repeatedly lauded the CCFF for its ethical focus, a vision that has always imbued the festival events with special warmth and a sense of non-commerciality.
This year’s festival ran from 23 February till 1 March, and was attended by a group of Egyptian cinema’s prominent figures.
Dedicated to victims of hatred
The Catholic Cinema Centre was founded in 1949 at the hands of Farid al-Mazzaoui (1913 – 1988) who was a critic, cinema historian and prominent figure among those who built Egyptian cinema. Mr Mazzaoui encouraged the Franciscan Friars in Egypt to establish a cinema centre to educate the young. The Catholic Centre Film Festival was born in Cairo in 1952.
This year’s opening ceremony was graced by attendance of apostolic nuncio in Egypt Archbishop Nicolas Thévenin.
Father Boutros Danial, current head of the Catholic Cinema Centre and the festival gave an opening word in which he dedicated the 72nd edition of the CCFF to the victims of war, especially mentioning Palestinian and Sudanese martyrs. “We dedicate the festival to the souls of the innocent martyrs who lost their lives due to hatred and malice, the martyrs of Palestine, Sudan, and the whole world, asking God’s mercy for them. We appeal to the international community to shoulder the responsibility of ending these wars,” Fr Danial said.
Soloist Yasmin Ali gave an enthralling performance; she moved the audience particularly with a special song that she dedicated to Palestine.
So long
The festival week sped in a glimpse as it featured screenings of the participating films in addition to various cultural activities and seminars. Soon it was closing night.
The closing ceremony began with a documentary screened rounding up the activities and seminars of the 72nd edition of CCFF, and the films participating in the official festival competition; the documentary film was produced by Sat7 TV channel. Both Fr Boutros Danial, head of the Catholic Centre and festival, and Fr Murad Majla, Regional President of the Franciscan Friars in Egypt, gave speeches that focused on the role of constructive art in improving society.
Hanan Mutawe, actress and member of the jury gave the jury’s word on behalf of Sandra Nashaat, film director and head of the jury who could not make it to the closing ceremony. The festival administration honoured the jury members who included a fine selection of artists working in different fields of the cinema industry.
Egypt’s renowned marimba performer Nesma Abdel-Aziz gave an exquisite performance in her typically bright, warm, glowing manner. For the second year in a row, she offered her performance to the festival’s closing ceremony. At the end of her performance, Fr Danial awarded her with the Catholic Centre’s shield in recognition of her outstandingly generous gesture.
Films with special flavour
Each of the films participating in the festival’s official competition added a special flavour to the festival. The six films participating were: Ana le-habibi (I am my beloved’s) directed by Hadi al-Bagouri; 19B directed by Ahmed Abdallah al-Sayed; Beit al-Ruby (The Roubys’ house) directed by Peter Mimi; Wesh X wesh (Faceoff) directed by Walid al-Halafawi; Voy! Voy! Voy! directed by Omar Hilal; Anf wa thalathat oyoun (A nose and three eyes) directed by Amir Ramses.
The outstanding 19B won many of the awards; it earned Best Film, Best Leading Actor for Sayed Ragab, Best Supporting Actor for Ahmed Khaled Saleh, Best Supporting Actress (shared) for Fadwa Abed, Best Scenario (shared) for Ahmed Abdallah al-Sayed, Best Cinematography for Mustafa al-Kashef, Best Director (shared) for Ahmed Abdallah al-Sayed.
Produced in 2022, the events of 19B run in an abandoned villa in a once-upscale neighbourhood, where an old guard has been living since the 1960s content with caring for his cats and dogs while listening to his favourite old songs. But his voluntary isolation from the noisy outside is abruptly cut; his world is turned upside down by his encounters with an overzealous young man, forcing him to face his fears.. his past. The film masterfully sheds light on the changes in psychological and personal structure of the Egyptian character, and thus the society over time, which older generations find hard to adapt to. In addition, the film touches on the controversial issue of the poisoning of street dogs by authorities once an official complaint is filed against them.
Faceoff
The Special Jury Award went to Wesh X wesh which also earned many other awards including Best Supporting Actress (shared) for Anoushka, Best Scenario (shared) and Best Director (shared) both for Walid al-Halafawy.
Wesh X wesh is a one-scene movie; it tells the story of a couple facing a crucial problem; they decide to involve family and friends. Once all arrive at their home, the door lock breaks and everyone gets locked inside the apartment. At this moment the problem escalates into a disaster. The interesting well-thought scenario reflects the different social standards and segments of society. All this is conveyed in a light comic style that stems from the situation. The film depicts 12 characters locked together in an apartment for an entire night; it shows their different personalities and convictions.
Yasmin Raeis won the Best Actress Award for her role in Ana le habibi, a romantic film that depicts Laila who lives two love lives, and has a fear of being alone.
I’m coming
Voy! Voy! Voy! also had its share of awards; it earned the Best Soundtrack Award for Sari Hani, and Best Editing Award for Ahmed Hafez. Voy! Voy! Voy! is based on a true story; a man working as a security guard fakes blindness to swindle into his dream of leaving his home country Egypt, and living in Europe. He joins a team of blind footballers bound for Poland. Voy is a Spanish word that stands for “I am coming”; it is used in blind football to alert each player to the other player’s location so that they do not collide. The film represents a humane story par excellence; it discusses a very true and raw problem facing a large portion of Egyptian youth who dream to leave the country and settle abroad, and would do anything to fulfil their dream.
The festival offered appreciation certificates for artistic creativity to a number of prominent actors and filmmakers who contributed to the success of the six films that participated in the festival’s official competition. These included comedians Lotfy Labib, Khaled al-Sawi and Bayoumi Fuad, for their roles in Wesh X wesh.
More awards
Besides the awards given to the makers of the winning films, the 72nd edition of the Catholic Centre Film Festival gave the Fr Youssef Mazloum Award to actor Gamil Barsoum (1954 – 2024) who passed away on 4 March 2024, a few days after he received his award. The Farid al-Mazzaoui Award went to actor Nagi Saad.
The Artistic Creativity Awards went to actor Emad Rashad, writer Abdel-Rahim Kamal, conductor Nader Abbasi, and cinematographer Ahmed al-Morsi.
The Cinema Leadership awards went to actors Sameh al-Sariti, Ahmed Fouad Selim, and Hala Sedqi.
The Media Excellence Award went to Amr al-Leithi, a TV and radio presenter, and Professor of Media Production, Radio Journalism and Journalism Ethics with MUST University.
The Catholic Centre Festival Special Award was granted to director Sherif Arafa, who is also a writer and producer. Born in 1960, he graduated from the Higher Institute of Cinema in 1982, and has had an obvious imprint on Egyptian cinema. For many years he formed a duet with writer Wahid Hamed, and together they made some unforgettable political movies.
Watani International
6 March 2024
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