Quick Takes at Qabila Festival

The short film finalists are screening May 4-10 at Cairo Opera House and Goethe Institute Cairo

By Eman Omar

Q abila TV’s second Annual Short Film Festival is running May 4–10 at the Cairo Opera House and Goethe Institute, with nearly 500 young filmmakers vying for prizes and prestige. The festival, greatly expanded from its 2013 launch, helps bring young Egyptian and international filmmakers together to showcase their talents, get exposure and network with their peers and other professionals in the field. Competition is very fierce this year, with 484 films from 66 countries submitted for consideration, including 316 short fiction films, 113 short documentaries, and 55 short animations. There are five competition categories this year: Best Fiction, Best Documentary, Best Animation, Best Egyptian Director and Best (First Short Film) for Egyptian Applicants; sponsor Mansour Foundation has put up LE 70,000 in awards. Two additional awards totaling LE 10,000, sponsored by Tahrir Lounge, will go to the best films addressing issues of tolerance in Egypt. The judges’ panel includes actor Amr Waked, film editor Mona Rabea, animation expert Hany El Masry, and animation expert and director of photography Victor Credi. At press time, a fifth judge had yet to be confirmed. Spanish filmmakers will also hold a workshop on cinematography and another in filmmaking and intention. Qabila’s inaugural festival last year drew 260 films from 20 countries to compete in four categories, with writer and director Amr Salama among the jury members. The 2013 festival winner for Best Film, Luminaris by Argentinian director Juan Pablo Zaramella, went on to win 80 other international awards. The opening ceremony, on May 4, is being held in the Opera House’s Midan Theatre, while the closing ceremony is at the Artistic Creativity Center on the opera grounds. Film screenings also take place at the Goethe Institute Cairo. et