Ismailia International Film Festival prepares for 20th edition
Ismailia International Film Festival for Documentaries and Short Films is due to be held from 11- 17 April, with a selection of films from around the world. Essam Zakaria, the festival’s president, said that a new programme will be introduced, in which a number of documentaries, shorts, and animation films that won prizes during the festival’s previous editions will be screened during the 20th edition. Zakaria described this programme as the most important event in the 20th edition of the festival. He expected this programme to witness a huge turnout. The programme includes the screening of the Egyptian documentary Waves directed by Ahmed Nour, which won the Best Documentary Award in 2013, and the Iraqi documentary War, Love, God and Madness directed by Mohamed Al- Daradji, which was awarded the Jury Prize in 2008. Also, the South African documen tary Sincerely Yours directed by Dumisani Phakathi, which was awarded the Jury Prize in 2002, and the Egyptian documentary Girls as Such directed by Tahani Rashid, which won the Best Documentary Award in 2006 were also screened. Also being screened are the South Korean documentary Planet of Snail directed by Seung- jun Yi, which was awarded the Jury Prize in 2012, and the Palestinian documentary Frontiers of Dreams and Fears directed by Mai Masri, which won the Best Documentary Award in 200. Also, the programme will screen a number of Egyptian short films, including Lilly directed by Marwan Hamed, which was awarded the Jury Prize in 2001, and Rest in Peace directed by Dina Abdel Salam, which won the Jury Prize in 2014. Also, Rise and Shine directed by Sherif El- Bendary, which was awarded the Jury Prize in 2006, and Another Love directed by Heba Yousry, which won a certificate of appreciation in 2006, will be screened. Concerning animation films, the programme includes the Estonian The Table directed by Jelena Girlin, Mari- Liis Bassovskaja, and Urmas Joemees, awarded the Best Animation Film in 2005, and the Latvian The Kiosk directed by Anete Melece, which won the Best Animation Film Award in 2014. Also, the Argentinean The Employment directed by Santiago Grasso, which was awarded the Best Animation Film in 2008, and the Russian The Earth Which Strikes Us directed by Elizabeth Zilonova, which won the Best Animation Film Award in 2001, will be shown.