Bosnian director Danis Tanović has been chosen as the president of the Official Competition Jury at the 45th Cairo Film Festival. Tanović is best known for his film “No Man’s Land,” which won the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar as well as the best screenplay award at Cannes in 2001. He has also directed other acclaimed films such as “L’enfer,” “Shell Shock,” “An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker,” and “Death in Sarajevo.”
Amir Ramsis, the festival director, praised Tanović as a director who has been “crowned in cinema history with major international awards.” Ramsis expressed his delight in giving the festival audience the chance to interact with renowned names from the world of cinema.
The president of the festival, Hussein Fahmy, also expressed his admiration for Tanović, stating that he is one of the most important film names globally. Fahmy emphasized that Tanović’s films have won numerous awards at prestigious film festivals, and they are proud to have him as the jury president for this year’s international competition.
In addition to the announcement of the jury president, the Cairo Film Festival revealed that Tamer Ruggli’s debut feature “Back to Alexandria” will have its Middle East and North Africa premiere in the competition section. The film stars renowned French actor Fanny Ardant and Lebanese actor-director Nadine Labaki. “Back to Alexandria” tells the story of Sue, who returns to Egypt after 20 years to see her eccentric aristocratic mother Fairouz. The journey from Cairo to Alexandria brings back distant memories and mixed emotions about her past, ultimately leading Sue to become the empowered woman she is meant to be.
Overall, the 45th Cairo Film Festival promises to be an exciting event with Tanović as the head of the jury and “Back to Alexandria” making its premiere in the competition section. The festival continues its tradition of bringing renowned names from different countries together and providing audiences with the opportunity to engage with cinema history.
