AIFF to kick off today

CAIRO - 7 October 2017: The 33rd edition of the Alexandria International Film Festival for Mediterranean Countries kicks off Saturday, October 7 at Bibliotheca Alexandrina at 8 p.m.

The festival’s opening ceremony will be presented by the actress Manal Salam and presenter Karim Kojak. The ceremony is scheduled to start with an operetta entitled "Alexandria w Negomha" (Alexandria and Its Stars). The operetta’s main theme is about the history of Alexandria and the most important stars and films that were presented there.

The 33rd edition of the Alexandria International Film Festival will take place from October 7- 12 under the patronage of Egyptian Minister of Culture Helmy al-Namnam. The festival’s management announced that it will dedicate this round to veteran Egyptian actor Hussein Fahmy, and thus the festival will organize a big celebration on his behalf.

The festival will also organize an honoring ceremony for the great late scriptwriter Mahfouz Abdel Rahman as an appreciation for his great achievements in the field of arts and culture in Egypt and the Arab world. The famous French actress Beatrice Dalle will also be honored in a special ceremony in this edition.

The management of the festival released the poster on September 17, which bears both Egypt's Renaissance statue, made by the great Egyptian sculptor Mahmoud Mokhtar, and Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

The festival’s poster, which was designed by Ahmed al-Baz Ramzy, tries to reflect Egyptian civilization in an attempt to link the cultures of Egypt from the south to the north, showcasing Egypt’s one united civilization. That is why the poster combines Egypt’s Renaissance statue in Cairo and Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, since both are considered among the most important cultural symbols in the world.

The opening and closing ceremonies for the festival will take place in Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The 33rd edition’s slogan is “Cinema and illegal immigration”.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry invited foreign ministers from eastern Mediterranean countries.

The round table talks will discuss illegal immigration and its social and economic effects on both emigration and immigration locations. A group of movies discussing illegal immigration are participating in the festival this round.