The 45th Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), set to take place from Nov. 13 to 22, is poised to be a significant cultural event in North Africa and beyond. Each year, this festival serves as a gathering point for cinema enthusiasts and industry professionals from around the globe, providing a platform to celebrate the art of film and engage in meaningful discussions about works that have made a lasting impact on the cinematic landscape.
This year, the festival will feature a selection of restored classic films, honoring the rich heritage of both global and Egyptian cinema. These newly restored versions, enhanced with modern technology, offer audiences a unique opportunity to experience significant films that reflect social and political transformations over time.
If you are a fan of classic cinema, here is the complete list of restored films that will be screened at CIFF 2024.
Films by Satyajit Ray:
The Hero – البطل
Director: Satyajit Ray
Country: India
Year of Production: 1966
Duration: 120 minutes
Plot: During a journey to Delhi to receive an award, the movie star “Arindam” reflects on his life and reassesses his past.
The Big City – المدينة الكبيرة
Director: Satyajit Ray
Country: India
Year of Production: 1963
Duration: 136 minutes
Plot: The film portrays the struggles of the poor in Kolkata in 1955, highlighting women’s lives amid social and economic conflicts.
The Lonely Wife – الزوجة الوحيدة
Director: Satyajit Ray
Country: India
Year of Production: 1965
Duration: 119 minutes
Plot: The story revolves around “Charulata,” who spends her time reading while her husband is busy with his journalistic work, until her routine changes with the arrival of her husband’s cousin, who shares her love for literature.
Films by Sergei Parajanov:
Bobo The Boogeyman – بوبو، البعبع
Directors: Narine Mkrtchyan, Arsen Azatyan
Country: Armenia
Year of Production: 1991
Duration: 67 minutes
Plot: The film documents the last days of the director Sergei Parajanov’s life, showcasing his feelings towards reality and his complex relationship with life.
The Color of Pomegranates – لون الرمان
Director: Sergei Parajanov
Country: Soviet Union
Year of Production: 1969
Duration: 78 minutes
Plot: A portrait of the 18th-century Armenian poet and musician Sayat Nova, tracing his life from a weaver to a court singer.
4K Films:
Paris, Texas – باريس، تكساس
Director: Wim Wenders
Country: United States
Year of Production: 1984
Duration: 145 minutes
Plot: The film tells the story of “Travis Henderson,” a lost man trying to reconnect with society after four years of wandering.
Lion of the Desert – أسد الصحراء
Director: Mustafa Akkad
Country: United States, Libya
Year of Production: 1981
Duration: 173 minutes
Plot: The film revolves around the Italian general “Rodolfo Graziani,” who is tasked with eliminating Libyan resistance led by “Omar Mukhtar.”
The Godfather Part II – الأب الروحي الجزء الثاني
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Country: United States
Year of Production: 1974
Duration: 202 minutes
Plot: The film explores the life of “Vito Corleone” in his youth while his son “Michael” expands his influence in the world of organized crime.
The Thief of Baghdad – لص بغداد
Directors: Ludwig Berger, Michael Powell, Tim Whelan
Country: United Kingdom
Year of Production: 1940
Duration: 106 minutes
Plot: The story follows King “Ahmed,” who seeks to reclaim his throne after being deceived and expelled from Baghdad.
Cleopatra – كليوباترا
Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Country: United States
Year of Production: 1962
Duration: 243 minutes
Plot: The film narrates the story of Cleopatra, the Egyptian queen who seduces Roman rulers.
Being John Malkovich – أن تكون جون مالكوفيتش
Director: Spike Jonze
Country: United States
Year of Production: 1999
Duration: 113 minutes
Plot: A puppeteer discovers a portal that leads directly into the head of movie star “John Malkovich.”
Restored Egyptian Classics:
A Beginning and an Ending – بداية ونهاية
Director: Salah Abou Seif
Country: Egypt
Year of Production: 1960
Duration: 140 minutes
Plot: The film portrays the fate of a family consisting of three brothers and their sister “Nafisa,” and how they cope after losing their father.
Cairo 30 – القاهرة 30
Director: Salah Abou Seif
Country: Egypt
Year of Production: 1966
Duration: 140 minutes
Plot: The story follows “Mahgoub,” who moves to Cairo in search of a better life.
Bit of Fear – شيء من الخوف
Director: Hussein Kamal
Country: Egypt
Year of Production: 1969
Duration: 112 minutes
Plot: The film is set in a rural Egyptian village where “Atrees” threatens the villagers.
The Bus Driver – سواق الأتوبيس
Director: Atef El-Tayeb
Country: Egypt
Year of Production: 1982
Duration: 108 minutes
Plot: The story revolves around “Hassan,” who tries to save his father’s workshop.
The Sin – الحرمان
Director: Henry Barakat
Country: Egypt
Year of Production: 1965
Duration: 105 minutes
Plot: The story of “Aziza,” who conceals her pregnancy after being assaulted.
The Quail and Autumn – السمان والخريف
Director: Hosam El-Din Mustafa
Country: Egypt
Year of Production: 1967
Duration: 130 minutes
Plot: The film follows “Eissa,” who meets a woman facing challenges.
The Second Wife – الزوجة الثانية
Director: Salah Abou Seif
Country: Egypt
Year of Production: 1967
Duration: 112 minutes
Plot: The story explores the life of “Abou Alaa,” who is forced to divorce his wife.
Palace Walk – بين القصرين
Director: Hassan Imam
Country: Egypt
Year of Production: 1964
Duration: 135 minutes
Plot: The film depicts the life of the family of “Ahmed Abd El-Jawad” during the British occupation.
Palace of Desire – قصر الشوق
Director: Hassan Imam
Country: Egypt
Year of Production: 1966
Duration: 130 minutes
Plot: The film revolves around the life of “Ahmed Abd El-Jawad” and his family after the death of “Fahmi.”
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