As part of Cairo Industry Days, held within the activities of the 46th Cairo International Film Festival, Sofitel Hotel – Nefertiti Hall hosts today, Thursday, November 20, a panel titled “Life After Saham: Shaping Memory through Documentary Film” from 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM. The session is presented by director Namir Abdel Messeih and is open to badge holders.
The session comes in the wake of the remarkable success of the documentary Life After Saham, which has received several awards at major international festivals. Abdel Messeih leads an intimate dialogue sharing his creative journey in making this impactful documentary. In this seminar, the director reveals his personal and artistic experience of transforming a journey of loss and grief into an honest and profound visual work, reflecting upon his methodology blending autobiography and cinema, and how he employs memory, family, and identity to build a documentary narrative filled with intimacy and human meaning.
This session offers attendees a unique opportunity to explore behind the scenes of one of the most prominent contemporary Arab documentaries and to discover a cinematic vision balancing emotional truth, visual storytelling, and personal experimentation, reflecting the documentary film’s power to reshape memory and transform individual experience into a widely resonant human discourse.
About Cairo Industry Days
Cairo Industry Days was launched as a dedicated platform to support and develop the film industry in the Arab world and Africa by providing funding, training, and networking opportunities between filmmakers and international experts. Its programs include the Cairo Film Forum, Professionals’ Forum, and specialized workshops. It has become one of the region’s most important professional events, offering genuine opportunities for project development and talent nurturing.
About Cairo International Film Festival
The Cairo International Film Festival is one of the oldest and most prestigious festivals in the Arab world and Africa, accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF). Founded in 1976 and held annually under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture, the festival combines artistic and professional dimensions, serving as a principal platform for intercultural dialogue and enhancing the international presence of Arab cinema
