The 26th edition of the Carthage Film Festival, which is starting Nov. 21 and ending Nov. 28, will pay homage to five of Egyptian cinema's most iconic and most influential women.
First and foremost, the "Women of Egyptian Cinema" tribute will honor the "lady of the Arab screen", the late Faten Hamama, who was the festival's first jury president in 1978.
She will be honored for cementing her iconic status in Egyptian and Arab cinema with a spectacular filmography of 240 films, according to the festival's official website .
Hamama will also be recognized for her pioneering role in paving the way for the Arab actress to "stop being a body, an object or a simple actress, but a comedian in the noble sense of the term."
"The Carthage film festival is the festival of the audience, the audience is the one that participated in funding the festival."
The "beauty of the screen" and star of the 1958 blockbuster "Rudda Kalbi," Mariam Fakhreddine and Maali Zayed are the two other iconic actresses that will be honored for continuing the path started by Hamama.
Last but not least, the tribute will honor the two influential Egyptian female directors Asma El-Bakri and Nabiha Lotfi for standing out with "their courage, militancy and modernity."
El-Bakri is being recognized for her courageous efforts such as adapting Albert Cossery's iconic novels and making short films that dealt with the Tunisian origins of Cairo.
Lotfi is being recognized for leading the "New Wave of Egyptian Cinema" with her influential documentaries, as well as for advocating for the progress of women throughout her life.
In addition to the "Women of Egyptian Cinema," the festival will honor Portuguese director Manoel De Oliveira, Tunisian director Nouri Bouzid, Algerian writer Assia Djebar and Tunisian cinematographer Habib Masrouki.
Founded in 1966 by the late Tunisian filmmaker and critic Taher Cheriaa, the annual festival has become one of the most significant events for African and Arab cinema.
It has been actively engaged in promoting dialogue between African and Arab nations, recognizing their talents and furthering their causes.
This year, 17 films from Africa and the Arab World will compete in the Feature Film category for the festival's highest honor, the Gold Tanit Award.
The competitors include prominent Egyptian director Daoud Abd El-Sayed's latest film " Out of the Ordinary ", Tunisian director Fares Naanaa's " Borders of Heaven " and Lebanese director Rana Salem's " The Road ."