By Elizabeth Vossen
With cameras flashing and the media ambitiously vying for their attention, glamorous film and television stars as well as industry professionals swarmed the red carpet Tuesday evening at the 34th annual Cairo International Film Festival.
While the festival strove gallantly to achieve international standards, it fell somewhat short due to what seemed to be a lack of organization and perhaps on account of budget cuts from the Ministry of Culture, announced by Egyptian actor and CIFF President Ezzat Abou Ouf a mere two weeks before the festival’s opening.
As the opening kicked off at the Cairo Opera House, dazzling fireworks lit up the sky alongside tasteless neon green lasers that beamed the face of Queen Nefertiti on buildings along the Nile. The red carpet gave the aura of glamour and sophistication, thought it groaned concerningly underfoot.
This year’s Hollywood A-list guests were notably sparse, with only two stars in attendance. American Academy award-winning actor Richard Gere (“Pretty Woman,” “Primal Fear”) was the undisputed center of attraction. Arriving on the red carpet with his wife, Gere was generous with his time, granting interviews to the press.
French-born Actress Juliette Binoche, best known for her Academy award-winning role as supporting actress “The English Patient,” graced the red carpet and spoke encouragingly of the vitality of the CIFF, declaring “it’s here, and it’s so alive.”
During the ceremony, both Gere and Binoche were recipients of the Life Achievement award. Gere accepted the award with a smile and commented on how happy he was to return to the festival after six years. “My wife and children are with me this time, and it’s a great honor to be here,” he said.
Egyptians attendees were also honored, and a theme of those who have achieved success abroad emerged. Scotland-born Egyptian actor Khalid Abdalla, star of “Green Zone,” “The Kite Runner” and Academy award nominated “United 93” was present along with Washington-based filmmaker Milad Bessada, who has produced and directed every genre of television show for over 30 years in North America, Europe and the Middle East as well as two major feature films, “A Quiet Day in Belfast” and “Search for Diana.”
Director and investment mogul Fouad Said, who invented the “cinemobile,” a van-like transporter of cinema equipment in the late 1960s, which revolutionized the television and movie picture, was also celebrated.
Sources note that doors to the ceremony were locked directly after the ceremony had begun, leaving some late arrivals out in the cold.
As the festival came to a close, guests spilled from the auditorium into the grand foyer to mix and mingle, though the setting was so full there was hardly any room to maneuver. Boisterous banter and smiling pleasantries and congratulations were exchanged between guests.
A peek into the screening room revealed that only a handful of people had stayed behind to view the opening film of the festival, “Another Year,” directed by Britain’s Mike Leigh. The film follows happily married couple Tom and Gerri, contrasting them against unhappy friends.
The throngs of guests slowly made their way from the foyer back to the red carpet. Gere was amongst one of the first to leave, hustled by several security guards back along the red carpet and to the valet, where he was whisked away.
With the opening complete, fans and critics will now focus on the true honorees of the festival, the films themselves.
The Cairo International Film Festival runs through Dec. 9.
US actor Richard Gere holds up his trophy after being honored for his lifetime achievement. (AFP Photo/Amr Ahmad)
Egyptian Director of Photography Ramses Marzouk. (AFP Photo/Amr Ahmad)
