Yesterday, the 15th edition of the Luxor African Film Festival kicked off, running until April 5. The first day included the screening of the opening film 'The Nile and Life', along with 'Stories', 'Joy', and 'Earth'. It also featured a meeting with actress Riham Abdel Ghafour and another with actor Khaled El Sawy, set against the backdrop of the ancient columns and monuments of the Luxor Temple. Additionally, a symposium was held honoring Youssef Chahine, with the festival dedicating a program titled 'Youssef Chahine: An Egyptian Tale' to his legacy. The Luxor Temple, overlooking the Nile, hosted the festival's opening, which this year showcases 52 feature and short films across various competitions and programs. The opening ceremony was attended by numerous stars and filmmakers from Egypt and the African continent, including Yousra, Mahmoud Hemida, Khaled El Sawy, Riham Abdel Ghafour, director Mohamed Amin, writer Abdel Rahim Kamal, director Khaled Youssef, and actors Hamza El Alaoui, Mohsen Mansour, Ahmed Fahmy, Hussam Dagher, Sabry Fawaz, Soula Mohammed Ali, Karim Qassem, and Dani Kwiaty. The event also included a film celebrating the career of the late director Youssef Chahine and paid tribute to the late director Daoud Abdel Sayed, with the festival launching a new screenwriting competition in his name.
