Today: Launch of the Short Film Competition at the 46th Cairo International Film Festival
Today, Saturday, November 15, marks the start of the first screenings within the Short Film Competition at the 46th Cairo International Film Festival. The event begins at 12:00 noon on the Grand Theatre at the Cairo Opera House, featuring five diverse short films that reflect the richness of Arab and international cinematic experiences.
The Short Film Competition (1) program includes the following works:
Memory directed by Pierre-Loi Goubier, in its world premiere (France, Morocco | French, Arabic | Docudrama | 2025 | 9 minutes). The film tells the story of Munir, a young dancer who crossed the sea fleeing shifting winds to a closed-off France.
Teta and Teta directed by Lina Al-Safah, in its world premiere (Lebanon, UK | Arabic | 2025 | 30 minutes). It portrays the close relationship between sisters Samira and Sawsan, who share laughter and sorrow and live on memories, questioning whether death and change can be ignored as easily as everything else.
The Last Harvest directed by Nuno Boaventura Miranda, in its Middle East and North Africa premiere (Cape Verde, Portugal | Creole, Portuguese | 2025 | 22 minutes | Color and Black & White). The film follows three characters facing life’s challenges in the Cape Verde migrant community in Lisbon, exploring their ties to memories and complexities of life as migrants in an urban environment.
Birds Do Not Migrate directed by Rami Al-Jarboui, in its world premiere (Tunisia, Qatar, Germany | Arabic | 2025 | 20 minutes). It tells the story of Yahia, a young man confined to a wheelchair from a marginalized neighborhood in the Tunisian capital, who dreams of crossing the Mediterranean. A chance event changes his life’s course, presenting a distinctive artistic experience using rotoscope and 3D animation techniques.
Paysanous directed by Andres and Francesca Khamis Giacomán, in its Middle East and North Africa premiere (Chile, Palestine, Spain | Arabic, Spanish | 2025 | 13 minutes). The film creates a dialogue between two narrators from Chile and Palestine, reflecting on the meaning of identity and return to Palestine and highlighting the connection between two distant regions through a celebratory vision that empowers victory and hope for the future.
About Cairo International Film Festival
Cairo International Film Festival is among the oldest festivals in the Arab world and Africa and one of the most prominent international festivals accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF). Established in 1976, it is held annually under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture. Each edition combines artistic and professional scope, making it a major platform fostering intercultural dialogue and promoting Arab cinema on the international stage.
