Paul Andrew Williams’ film Dragonfly has been awarded the top prize at the Cairo International Film Festival, along with a cash prize of $7,000. The announcement was made during a ceremony at the Cairo Opera House and was presided over by an international jury led by acclaimed Turkish filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan. The jury praised the film as a “profound exploration of solitude,” highlighting its emotional depth.
The narrative of Dragonfly centers on an unlikely friendship between two women, one of whom takes on the responsibility of caring for her elderly neighbor. The film features standout performances from Andrea Riseborough and Brenda Blethyn, both of whom were honored with the best actress award for their roles.
This year’s festival, which took place in November, also recognized several other films. Hala, directed by Tarzan and Arab Nasser, garnered three significant awards: the Silver Pyramid for best director, which comes with a $5,000 prize; best actor for Majd Eid; and best Arab feature, which includes a $10,000 award from Watch It. The Bronze Pyramid Special Jury Award, along with a $3,000 cash prize, was awarded to Gurbet, directed by Turkish filmmaker Şeyhmus Altun.
In the documentary category, the best documentary award went to My Name is Mounir, directed by Lebanese filmmaker Nicholas Khoury. The Henry Barakat Award for best artistic contribution in cinematography was awarded to Jamal, directed by Bangladeshi filmmaker Mahde Hasan. Additionally, Alireza Khatami received the Naguib Mahfouz Award for best screenplay for Leila’s Brothers.
The event also featured a special mention from the Best Arab Film Jury for Iraqi filmmaker Zahraa Ghandour’s documentary Hind Rajab. In the Horizons of Arab Cinema competition, Sarah Francis’ film My Mother’s Home was named best Arab film, winning the Saad Eldin Wahba Award worth $10,000. The jury noted the film’s success in “immersing us in physical and psychological spaces.”
The award for best performance in the Horizons competition went to Tunisian actress Afaf Ben Mahmoud for her role in Hadiya, directed by Mohamed Ali Nahdi. The best script award, accompanied by a $5,000 prize, was awarded to Yasser Shafie for his film Adrift. The Salah Abu Seif Jury Prize, valued at $8,000, was awarded to Saudi documentary Fahad, by Ali Saeed.
In a significant moment, the Youssef Sherif Rizkallah Audience Award, worth $15,000 and supported by Cred, went to Free Gaza Circus, a documentary by Mai Saad and Ahmed Al Danaf. The festival also recognized Alex Bakri’s film with the International Critics’ Week Shadi Abdel Salam Prize for best film, while the Fathy Farag Special Jury Award was presented to Tim Ellrich.
The closing ceremony included a heartfelt tribute to Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian girl who was the subject of the festival’s closing film. Hussein Fahmy, president of the Cairo International Film Festival, emphasized the essential role of cinema in conveying impactful stories and giving a voice to the silent. He also reiterated the festival’s commitment to fostering new opportunities for Arab filmmakers and enhancing their international presence.
The ceremony honored esteemed filmmakers with lifetime achievement awards, including Chinese director Guan Hu and Hungarian filmmaker Ildikó Enyedi, whose film had captivated audiences the previous night. The festival concluded with a strategic initiative, as CIFF signed a cooperation agreement with Qatar’s Film Commission at Doha Media City, aimed at enhancing co-productions, talent platforms, and international distribution for Arab cinema.
