'Negmat el-Sobh' premieres in opening ceremony of CFF

CAIRO - 29 October 2019: “Negmat el-Sobh” premiered at the 30th edition of the Carthage Film Festival, where it competes in the official competition of feature films.

The premiere was attended by the film’s cast: Director Joud Said, Mohammed al-Ahmad, Hussein Abbas and the twins Sarah and Nadia Sedki, as well as a number of government officials, MP’s, famed artists and representatives of diplomatic missions from 40 countries. The film revolves around Khaldoun and Arif, two brothers separated by war and their own different personal beliefs and opinions. The film sheds light on the agony of encountering great loss, and the cruelty of waiting. The film also reviews the sad stories of the poor, who try to see hope in tomorrow despite their sorrows.

The 30th edition of the Carthage Film Festival kicked off on Oct. 28 amid tight security measures around Habib Bourguiba Avenue in the capital and Mohammed V Avenue, the perimeter of the City of Culture, where the Opera Theater embraced the opening ceremony in the presence of Minister of Cultural Affairs Mohamed Zine el-Abidine.

The Carthage Film Days will run until Nov. 2. The official program features 170 films, including 44 in the official competition (12 feature films, 12 short films, 12 feature documentary films and 8 short documentaries). The current edition of the festival is dedicated to and bears the name of Tunisian producer Néjib Ayed, who passed away last August. In addition, a number of Arab and Egyptian artists were also honored, including Ezzat Abou Aouf, and Farouk el- Fishawy from Egypt, Jocelyn Saab and George Nasser from Lebanon; and Aziz Mouhoub from Morocco, among others.

Moreover, the opening ceremony witnessed the presence of Egyptian stars participating in the festival with their films, including Sayed Ragab, who competes with “Habib” in the official competition for short films. The short film revolves around Habib, a barber in his late sixties, who breaks his normal daily routine by trying to fulfill a strange request from his wife. As events unfold, the psychological struggle Habib faces becomes unmistakable. Co-starring Salwa Mohamed Ali and Ali Sobhy,"Habib" is written and directed by Shady Fouad.

Also, the opening was attended by young actor Amr Abed, who is participating in the festival with “Lama Benetweled” within the official selection outside the main competition. Abed was accompanied by the film’s cast: Ibtihal al-Seraiti, Passant Shawki, director Tamer Ezzat and producer Moataz Abdel Wahab. This is the film’s second stop after its first international screening in the third edition of the Gouna International Film Festival. It was released to the public in a special screening in the Egyptian theaters last Wednesday.

In “Lama Benetweled,” Abed plays the role of a newlywed gym coach named Amin, who lives with his family. His dream is to be able to provide a home for him and his wife, but during his journey, however, Amin takes illegal paths. “Lama Benetweled” illustrates the life struggles of three different characters. The first is trying to create a singing career, the second is a Christian lady who falls in love with a Muslim man, and the third is a gym coach who tries to afford buying an apartment.