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E-mail Xinhua, November 24, 2024
The Palestinian Gaza Strip, which is facing ongoing devastating Israeli attacks, has been highlighted in the 45th edition of the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), with several Palestinian films and filmmakers awarded during the closing ceremony held on Friday evening.
The documentary A State of Passion by Carol Mansour, a Lebanese-Canadian filmmaker of Palestinian origin, and Lebanese producer Muna Khalidi, which sheds light on the medical journey of a Palestinian doctor within Palestine, was awarded Best Arabic Film in the Horizons of Arab Cinema competition.
A Palestinian film competition was initiated in this year's CIFF, in cooperation with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation States Broadcasting Union (OSBU).
The first OSBU award at the 45th CIFF was given to the documentary Square Kilometer Dreams directed by Palestinian filmmaker Qassam Sbeih, the second to A State of Passion, and the third to Passing Dreams directed by Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi.
"Given what is happening in Palestine this year, and specifically in Gaza, it was important that the films we made about Gaza be screened at the CIFF," Masharawi told Xinhua during the closing ceremony, stressing the significant role of art in supporting just causes.
Meanwhile, in a special program held for the anthology film From Ground Zero, which combines 22 short films from Gaza, the films Soft Skin, No Signal, and A School Day received cash prizes.
From day one of the 45th CIFF, the festival showed solidarity with the Palestinian cause by screening Passing Dreams as its opening film.
The festival's president, Egyptian veteran movie star Hussein Fahmy, and the CIFF staff all attached to their attire a label pin of the national flag of Palestine as a sign of solidarity and support.
"The 45th CIFF was not held as scheduled last year due to the events in Gaza, so we had to cancel the festival then. We have returned to say through the festival that Gaza is in our hearts and the Palestinian people are always with us," Fahmy told Xinhua in an earlier interview during the festival.
Launched in 1976, the CIFF is one of the oldest film festivals in the Arab world, Africa, and the Middle East. This year's edition featured around 190 films from more than 70 countries and regions.
