Egyptian Association of Film Writers and Critics announces its awards

CAIRO – 15 February 2019: Egyptian Association of Film Writers and Critics headed by film critic El-Amir Abaza announced the winners of its awards for this year edition.

Egyptian Association of Film Writers and Critics' awards ceremony was held under the auspices of minister of culture Inas Abdel Dayem The veteran Egyptian actor Ezzat el Alaily was chosen to be the honorary president of this edition. Abaza honoured a notable group of Egyptian filmmakers: Elham Chahine, Poussy, Mahmoud Hemeida, Beshir el Deek and Aly Badrkhan.

Egyptian film Yomeddine ( Judgemental Day) directed by Abu Bakr Shawky won best movie award and its heroes Rady Gamal and Ahmed Hafez were awarded special jury award.

Shawky won best director award given to directors for their first work as the movie is his first feature.

Egyptian movie ‘’ Turab el Mass’’ ( Diamond Dust) garnered three awards: best director award for its director famed Egyptian director Marwan Hamed, best actor award for Egyptian star Maged el Kidwany and best soundtrack for the renowned composer Hisham Nazih.
Egyptian star Mostafa Khater won best rising actor on his role in “Tale’ Senay” (Induced Labor) movie, and its designer Mohamed Amin was awarded best set design award.
Sherif El-Dessouky won an award for best supporting actor for his role in Leil Khargy (Exterior, Night) directed by Ahmed Abdallah.
Dalal Abdelaziz won the Excellency award for best actress for her role in the film Karma, directed by Khaled Youssef. Ghada Abdel Razek won best actress award on her role in ‘’Harb Karmooz’’ ( Karmooz War).

“Yomeddine” is directed by Abu Bakr Shawky, and produced by Dina Emam; a real former leprosy patient played the lead role. It tells the story of Beshay, a former Coptic Egyptian patient in the Leprosy Colony. He was lucky enough to be cured, unlike his late wife.

After his wife’s death, Beshay decides to leave the colony and search for his family with his friends; a donkey and a child. Beshay’s journey takes him to the past and to the future as well, exploring how society deals with his disease and highlighting the suffering of leprosy patients in the colony.
The Cinematic Professions Syndicate chose “Yomeddine” to represent Egypt in the 2019 Oscars list for Best Foreign Language Film.

The Oscars will not be the first recognition “Yomeddine” gets, as it was awarded the Francois Chalais Prize at the Cannes International Film festival. The 71st Cannes Film Festival held a press conference with the Egyptian filmmakers of “Yomeddine” after its screening at the festival on May 9.

The screening was attended by many international actors, including Julianne Moore, Louise Bourgoin and Kiko Mizuhara. All the attendees praised the movie’s construction and drama line, as well as the directing technique adopted by Shawky in his debut feature.

“Yomeddine” is the first time for a debut movie for an Egyptian director to participate in Cannes Film Festival's main competition.

The movie managed to grab the attention of all those who watched it. International media platforms were keen to put the spotlight on “Yomeddine”, writing extremely positive reviews about the movie, which presents an innovative mixture of tragedy, comedy, and condensed shots of emotions and sentiments.

“A man who has recovered from leprosy goes in search of the father who abandoned him in a sentimental drama that infantilizes its lead character,” wrote Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian.

“Recalling about a thousand other titles, with the Lynch films ‘The Elephant Man’ and ‘The Straight Story’ definitely near the top of the list, this is a picaresque road movie about two mismatched characters, with rookie director A.B. Shawky offering a motley and not entirely smooth cocktail of drama and melodrama, a dash of social critique and insight, some chuckles and a few tugs at the heartstrings, mainly by virtue of its near-virtuoso score,” wrote Boyd van Hoeij in The Hollywood Reporter.


It is expected that the nominations for the 2019 Oscars will be released on Jan. 22, 2019 as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the ABC Television Network announced.

Yomeddine recently won the best Foreign Language Contender Award at the Heartland Film Festival in Indiana.


"Turab al-Mass" is based on the novel of the same name by Ahmed Mourad. The plot revolves around Taha, who works for a pharmaceutical company and lives an extremely boring life with his disabled father.

Taha’s life is turned upside down after a mysterious murder reveals many secrets, dragging Taha into the world of crime and corruption.

Alongside Yassin, the cast includes Menna Shalaby, Maged el-Kidwany, Ezzat al-Alayly, Mohamed Mamdouh, Khaled al-Sawy and Sawsan Badr.


“Tale’ Senay” revolves around an Egyptian couple that seizes the American Embassy in Egypt after being denied visas to enter the United States.

The feature film stars a group of talented Egyptian actors and actresses, including Rasha Gawdat, Maged el-Kedwany, Mai Kassab, Abdel Rahman Abou Zahra, Bayoumi Fouad, Horeya Farghali and Sayed Ragab. "Tale' Senay" is directed by Khaled Diab.

The movie screened for the first time on December 11, 2017, as part of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF).
The Egyptian film “Leil Khargy” (Exterior/ Night) was screened for the first time in the Egyptian cinemas on December 19.

“Leil Khargy” was competing in Cairo International Film Festival's international competition where Desouky won the Best Actor Award on his role in the movie.

The movie revolves around three individuals; Mo, Toto and Mustafa, who meet against all norms, each battling in his own way to stand his ground and leave his mark; they eventually find themselves in an unexpected journey in the city that helps them see a world they have never seen before.

“Leil Khargy” stars beside Desouky Karim Kassem, Mona Hala, Basma, Ahmed Malek, and Ahmed Magdy among others. “Leil Khargy” is written by Sherif Alfy and directed by Ahmed Abdallah.

“Leil Khargy” was screened before at Toronto International Film Festival.

The film takes place in the era of King Farouk, Egypt's last king. The story revolves around a police officer, Youssef el Masry (played by Amir Karara), who lives in Karmooz district in Alexandria.

Masry fights many battles and saves a girl from being raped. “Harb Karmooz” stars famed English actor Scott Adkins, known as “Boyka”, in his first appearance in the Egyptian cinema, alongside Karara, Mostafa Khater, Ghada Abdel Razek, Bayoumy Fouad, Fathy Abdel Wahab and Rogina, among others. “Harb Karmooz” is written by Mohamed el Sobky and directed by Peter Mimi.