As the Cairo International Film Festival commemorates its half-century milestone, its influential industry division, Cairo Industry Days (CID), is broadening its horizons beyond the annual event. CID is set to unveil an array of innovative programs designed to offer sustained, long-term backing to emerging and established filmmakers. This strategic evolution underscores a commitment to fostering cinematic talent throughout the year, marking a pivotal shift towards enduring industry development rather than episodic engagement. The vision for gradual, impactful growth is central to CID's expanded mission, ensuring that support for film creators is robust and continuous.
Cairo Industry Days Bolsters Global Filmmaker Support with Expanded Mentorship and New Initiatives
In a significant move to enhance global cinematic development, Cairo Industry Days (CID), the vibrant industry component of the esteemed Cairo International Film Festival, is undergoing a substantial expansion of its filmmaker support programs. This initiative, coinciding with the festival's 50th anniversary, aims to provide continuous, year-round assistance to emerging and established filmmakers, transcending the traditional confines of the annual festival event.
Mohamed Sayed Abdel-Rehim, the visionary leader of Cairo Industry Days, articulated a philosophy of measured, sustainable growth. He emphasized a methodical approach to introducing new programs, stating, "My vision is not to start very big. Every year, we introduce a new program, or maybe a couple of programs, but we start them small in order to make the progress steady." This strategic outlook is currently shaping the eighth edition of CID, which is scheduled from November 14 to 19, running concurrently with the 47th iteration of the festival.
A cornerstone of this year's expansion is the 12th installment of the Cairo Film Connection (CFC), the festival's dedicated co-production platform for Arab filmmakers. CFC is pioneering a groundbreaking mentorship program designed to extend its engagement with selected projects well beyond the immediate event. "We try not to make it only the four days of the Cairo Film Connection during the festival. We try to make it year-long," Abdel-Rehim elaborated.
This comprehensive initiative brings together five distinguished international experts who will provide guidance across critical areas such as project development, pitching techniques, budgeting and financing strategies, festival navigation, broadcasting opportunities, and legal frameworks. Online mentoring sessions have already commenced, with in-person guidance continuing throughout the festival. Furthermore, CID has forged a partnership with the Sundance Documentary Fund to host an exclusive online session tailored for last year's CFC projects still in pursuit of funding and support.
Abdel-Rehim's overarching objective is to cultivate a seamless progression for filmmakers: from participating in CID workshops, advancing through CFC, to ultimately premiering their completed works in CIFF's prestigious competitions. This holistic approach aims to foster a strong alumni network, with successful directors who win Cairo's coveted Golden Pyramid potentially returning as CFC jury members in subsequent years.
The efficacy of this model is already evident. Films nurtured through CFC have garnered international acclaim this year, with notable premieres at prestigious festivals. These include Sara Ishaq's "The Station" at Cannes Critics' Week, Rania Rafei's "The Day of Wrath: Tales from Tripoli" at the Berlinale Forum, and Mohanad Yaqubi's "Revolutionaries Never Die," which clinched the Special Jury Prize at Locarno. Additionally, numerous projects developed in CID workshops have subsequently been selected for CFC or featured in Cairo's competitive sections. Abdel-Rehim acknowledged, "This doesn’t happen every year. But it shows that in recent years, we’ve been selecting projects with a strong chance of reaching completion and traveling internationally."
This year, CFC has meticulously selected 17 diverse projects from 12 countries, slated to receive a remarkable 43 individual awards. Abdel-Rehim noted the competitive landscape, stating, "We initially thought we would select around 10 projects, but there were so many strong submissions that it was difficult to narrow them down." He further underscored CID's commitment to inclusivity, stating, "We always support women filmmakers, and we also try to support countries that don’t produce a lot of films," citing Yemen, Sudan, and Libya as prime examples.
A novel initiative, "From Book to Screen," seeks to revitalize the symbiotic relationship between Egypt's film and publishing sectors. The CID director highlighted Egypt's rich legacy of literary adaptations, particularly prominent in the 1960s and 1970s, and the subsequent decline of this tradition. This program has selected 10 literary works from 10 Egyptian publishing houses, providing authors and publishers with specialized training to effectively pitch their intellectual properties to film producers. CID plans to establish a formal selection committee next year and aims to extend this initiative to writers across the entire Arab world by 2028.
The Cairo Film Market, inaugurated in 2024 with eight participating companies, also reflects this incremental growth strategy. This year's market boasts 23 exhibition booths and welcomes delegations from across Asia and Africa, signaling CIFF and CID's concerted efforts to forge stronger international alliances. CID is also poised to sign a cooperation agreement with SICA Abidjan, a prominent audiovisual forum in Côte d’Ivoire, further expanding its network of African industry partners.
Beyond expanding its international footprint, CID is proactively addressing persistent challenges faced by independent filmmakers. "The problem is always about financing films, about distributing the films, about marketing the films," Abdel-Rehim observed. "Some independent filmmakers, especially in their first film, don’t give a lot of attention to distribution and marketing."
To bridge these critical gaps, CID is significantly enhancing its professional development offerings. These include immersive storytelling and XR programming, alongside workshops exploring the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in pre-production—a particularly relevant domain for independent filmmakers navigating limited budgets.
The extensive program also features masterclasses led by acclaimed directors such as Matteo Garrone, Asif Kapadia, Abderrahmane Sissako, Óliver Laxe, and Laura Wandel, as well as renowned Egyptian screenwriter and producer Medhat El Adl. Moroccan filmmaker Nabil Ayouch, who chairs CIFF’s international competition jury, will also host a masterclass, while Egyptian actor Asser Yassin will participate in an insightful In Conversation session. Industry panels will delve into crucial topics such as financing for Arab cinema, opportunities for women directors, the evolving challenges confronting a new generation of Arab filmmakers, and the future landscape of theatrical exhibition.
Collectively, these meticulously crafted initiatives embody Abdel-Rehim's overarching aspiration for CID: to transcend the mere facilitation of individual film projects. His vision is for CID to evolve into a foundational institution that provides filmmakers with sustained support and invaluable connections, enabling them to cultivate enduring careers and continue their cinematic endeavors for years to come. This ambitious vision extends beyond individual artists, aiming to fortify Cairo's integral position within the global film industry.
Abdel-Rehim concluded, "The vision of the Cairo film industry is to connect. To connect the North with the South, to connect the East with the West," encapsulating CID's pivotal role as a global cinematic nexus.
The expansion of Cairo Industry Days marks a strategic and commendable effort to cultivate a more robust and sustainable ecosystem for filmmakers, particularly those from underrepresented regions. By extending mentorship, fostering international collaborations, and addressing critical industry challenges such as financing and distribution, CID is not only nurturing individual talents but also strengthening the global cinematic fabric. This year-round commitment signifies a mature understanding of the long-term support required to bring diverse stories to the screen, positioning Cairo as a pivotal hub for film development and cultural exchange. The emphasis on incremental growth and inclusivity further underscores a thoughtful approach to building a more equitable and dynamic film industry worldwide.
