National Cinema Festival to Return in April After Three-Year Hiatus

The National Cinema Festival is set to return in April 2026 with its 25th edition, following a three-year pause since its most recent run in May 2022.

Organisers indicated that the event is expected to take place during the second half of April, with final dates to be determined by the festival’s artistic committee. The upcoming edition aims to relaunch the festival with a more structured programme, supported by closer coordination between the Cultural Development Fund and the National Centre for Cinema.

Producer Hisham Suleiman has been appointed president of the silver jubilee edition. A higher organising committee has been formed, comprising Hamdy El Sattouhi, Assistant Minister of Culture and head of the Cultural Development Fund, Dr Ahmed Saleh, head of the National Centre for Cinema, and Suleiman.

The artistic committee for the 25th edition will be chaired by Hisham Suleiman and includes actress Laila Eloui, critic Amal Osman, journalist Nevine El-Zohairy, producer Safi El-Din Mahmoud, critic Ahmed Shawky, cinematographer Hussein Aser, screenwriter Mariam Naoum, head of the Film Professions Syndicate Mosaad Fouda, head of the Chamber of the Cinema Industry Hisham Abdel Khalek, and head of the Union of Artistic Syndicates Omar Abdel Aziz.

The National Cinema Festival is positioned as a forum for celebrating Egyptian filmmaking across generations, recognising creative achievements and bringing together industry figures from across the local cinema landscape.