Cairo International Film Festival is pleased to announce the screening of two films starring Khaled El Nabawy, « The Emigrant » and « The Citizen, » as part of the « Cairo Classics » program. This comes in honor of him receiving the Faten Hamama Excellence Award during the 46th edition of the festival, held from November 12 to 21, 2025.
« The Emigrant » (1994), directed by Youssef Chahine, follows « Ram » as he leaves his nomadic life to embark on a journey of knowledge in Pharaonic Egypt, a land then fraught with political conflicts and conspiracies. Between his old world in the desert and his new life in Egypt, a unique human experience full of challenges and questions takes shape.
The American film « The Citizen » (2012), directed by Sam Kadi, features El Nabawy in a leading role. It tells the story of an Arab immigrant who wins the Green Card lottery and arrives in New York on September 10, 2001, just one day before the September 11 attacks, kicking off a series of events filled with tension and human drama.
The festival is also pleased to announce a special talk with star Khaled El Nabawy titled « From a Young Star to a Cinematic Icon, » moderated by critic Zain Khairy. The talk will be held at 12:00 PM on Sunday, November 16, at the Open-Air Theater of the Cairo Opera House. The session will delve into the craft, legacy, and stories that have shaped El Nabawy’s artistic journey.
Cairo International Film Festival is one of the most prestigious festivals in the Arab world and Africa, and the only one in the region to hold a Category « A » accreditation from the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) in Paris. Founded in 1976, the festival is held annually under the auspices of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture.
