U.S. Embassy Supports the Cairo International Film Festival and Promotes Links Between Egypt and Hollywood

 – The U.S. Embassy in Cairo was pleased to support the Cairo International Film Festival for the 8th year in a row. The U.S. Embassy has partnered with Film Independent, a Los Angeles-based film and arts organization, to sponsor a five-day film pitching workshop with 15 emerging Egyptian filmmakers. The workshop was mentored by Peruvian-American filmmaker Javier Fuentes-Léon and Filipina-American filmmaker Valerie Castillo Martinez.

“As someone who knows the important role of Egyptian film in the Middle East, I am proud that the U.S. Embassy is doing so much to support Egyptian filmmakers and to connect them with their colleagues in Hollywood,” U.S. Ambassador Herro Mustafa Garg told guests at a reception she hosted to celebrate the closing of the Cairo International Film Festival. “Encouraging Egypt’s creative economy will help create jobs here in Egypt, strengthen the partnership between Egypt and the United States, and build mutual respect and understanding between our societies.”

At Cairo Film Connections, the U.S. Embassy and Film Independent awarded two residency awards to Mohamed Zedan and Marwa Tammam who will spend a week in Hollywood consulting with U.S. film experts on their projects. The U.S. Embassy also screened the screening of Adjunct, a film by Iraqi-American director and Film Independent alumni Ron Najor.

During the November 21 reception Ambassador Mustafa Garg honored renowned actor and President of the Cairo International Film Festival, Hussein Fahmy, for his dedication to promoting cross-cultural dialogue and exchange which has paved the way for deeper understanding and mutual respect between Egypt and the United States.

Over the last ten months, the U.S. Embassy has supported five film festivals including Luxor African Film Festival, Ismailia International Film Festival for Documentaries and Short Films, Aswan International Women’s Film Festival, El Gouna Film Festival, and Cairo International Film Festival. During this period, the U.S. Embassy has supported the training of nearly 60 Egyptian filmmakers on all aspects of filmmaking and awarded seven film residency awards to aspiring Egyptian filmmakers to spend one week in Hollywood consulting with American film experts on their projects. Since 2017, the U.S. Embassy has funded grants to Egyptian and American arts organizations totaling one million dollars, trained more than 200 filmmakers, and sent 40 filmmakers to the United States, all in support of the Egyptian film industry and to build connections with the U.S. film industry.