Ismailia Film Festival for Documentaries and Shorts kicks off April 10

CAIRO - 30 March 2019: The National Cinema Center, headed by Khalid Abdul Jalil, the minister of culture's adviser for cinema, completed preparations for the 21st edition of the Ismailia International Film Festival for Documentaries and Shorts.

Ismailia International Film Festival for Documentaries and Shorts is scheduled to run from April 10 to 16 under the chairmanship of film critic Essam Zakaria.

Abdul Jalil stated that the new edition is a great challenge for the festival’s management and the National Center for Cinema, especially after the appraisal received by the previous edition on the artistic and organizational levels.

Abdul Jalil pointed out that the current edition of the festival celebrates the Egyptian-African year.

According to Abdul Jalil, a program that comprises a collection of African documentary and short films has been created in a way that does not interfere with Luxor Film festival, and a prominent African personality will be honored by the festival.

In addition, a celebration will be held on the occasion of the Egyptian-French Year, celebrating the French cinematic works.

For the first time, the main focus of the festival's 21st edition is the production of documentary and short films, where light will be shed on the entire process from production to distribution and marketing.

For his part, critic Essam Zakaria exposed that a number of Egyptian, Arab and international pioneers in the field of documentary and short film production will be honored.

Zakaria declared that, for the first time, two major judging panels will be set up for the festival, one for long feature films, and another for short feature and animation films, to alleviate the pressure on the judging panel of the festival.