In a move reflecting Cairo International Film Festival’s strong international presence, critic Rasha Hosny, the festival’s programmer for the Asia-Pacific region, participated as a speaker at the « Programmers’ Salon » during the Beijing International Film Festival. The panel discussion was held under the title « From Selection Criteria to Creative Trends. »
This participation comes as part of mutual cooperation between Cairo International Film Festival and several festivals in China, led by the Beijing International Film Festival. Both festivals are actively seeking to operationalize existing cooperation agreements aimed at exchanging expertise, coordinating juries, and screening films. These efforts also extend to establishing twinning agreements with other events, such as the Hainan Island International Film Festival, and discussing media partnerships with China Media Group (CMG).
In this context, Mohamed Tarek, Artistic Director of Cairo International Film Festival, emphasized that this international presence is a true reflection of the festival management’s strategy, which aims to expand its global influence and build effective communication bridges with filmmakers worldwide. He explained that the management adopts a systematic policy of distributing tasks among all programming team members to ensure Cairo International Film Festival’s representation in major international events. This approach contributes to discovering the latest cinematic productions and reinforcing the festival’s position at the heart of the global industry.
The session, which lasted for over two hours, featured a professional dialogue bringing Rasha Hosny together with leading international programmers: Kristína Aschenbrennerova, member of the feature film selection committee at the International Film Festival Rotterdam; Nikolaj Nikitin, programmer at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival; and Jacob Wong, Director of the Film Industry Office at the Hong Kong International Film Festival. The speakers discussed the underlying philosophy of film programming and the precise mechanisms followed by viewing and selection committees.
The discussions covered the entire lifecycle of a film, starting from the funding and production stages, moving through screening mechanisms at major festivals, and reaching the challenges of distribution and audience building. The programmers reviewed recent creative trends that have emerged in cinematic works over the past year, as well as the specific types of films different festivals seek out to reinforce their unique identities.
The session witnessed clear interest from the attendees, who raised numerous questions about Cairo International Film Festival and the opportunities to screen their films in its upcoming edition, reaffirming the festival’s status as a vital international gateway.
The scope of discussion also expanded to include other pressing issues concerning filmmakers, such as the impact of artificial intelligence technologies on visual content creation and film selection. Furthermore, the panel highlighted the role of festivals as comprehensive ecosystems that support creators by providing workshops, funding, and artistic residency programs. The session concluded with a set of practical tips tailored for young directors.
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*About Cairo International Film Festival*
Cairo International Film Festival is a prestigious annual event held under the auspices of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. It is recognized as the only festival in the Arab world and Africa registered as a Category « A » festival by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF). The festival’s strategy seeks to enhance its international standing and expand its audience base to support the film industry and foster cultural exchange.
*About Beijing International Film Festival*
The Beijing International Film Festival is a major platform for cultural and cinematic exchange in Asia and across the globe. It aims to support and develop the film industry by creating opportunities for joint cooperation, highlighting cinematic innovations, and connecting filmmakers with new markets annually
