What is the Cairo International Film Festival doing to preserve Egyptian cinema?

The Cairo International Film Festival is leading an ambitious program to restore over 1,300 classic Egyptian films, making them available with English subtitles to reach global audiences.

How will the restored Egyptian films be made accessible?

CIFF and the Holding Company for Investment in the fields of Culture and Cinema are developing a dedicated digital platform to host the entire collection of restored films, providing a crucial entry point for younger generations to discover Egypt's rich cinematic heritage.

What is the goal of the Cairo Film Festival's restoration effort?

Beyond preservation, the initiative aims to inspire a renewed focus on emotional storytelling in contemporary Egyptian cinema, reigniting a passion for cinematic artistry that transcends pure spectacle.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Cairo Film Fest Revives Egypt's Cinematic Heritage

Cairo Film Fest Revives Egypt's Cinematic Heritage

16 Nov

•

Summary

Ambitious program to restore 1,300 Egyptian classic films
Newly restored films now include English subtitles for global reach
Effort aims to inspire younger filmmakers to reconnect with emotional storytelling

Cairo Film Fest Revives Egypt's Cinematic Heritage

In the lead-up to the 46th edition of the Cairo International Film Festival, which took place 4 days ago, the event's organizers have been focused on an ambitious effort to restore and preserve Egypt's cinematic legacy. The festival opened with a showcase of 21 newly restored titles, including striking before-and-after footage that highlighted the dramatic improvements in image quality and clarity.

This restoration program, developed in partnership with Egypt's Ministry of Culture, marks one of the most comprehensive archival initiatives in the region's history. Festival president Hussein Fahmi explains that the push was driven by both a cultural responsibility and the need to adapt to changing filmmaking technologies. The ultimate goal is to not only safeguard these classics, but to make them widely accessible to both local and international audiences.