The 15th Luxor African Film Festival opens at Luxor Temple, honoring cinema legends Youssef Chahine and Daoud Abdel Sayed. Stars Yousra, Reham Abdel Ghafour, and Khaled El Sawy discuss their careers, new films, and the power of African cinema in this exclusive feature
By Amany Khairy and AboElhasan Abd Elsattar
A Tribute to Cinema Legends
The opening ceremony featured a poignant documentary tribute to the legendary Egyptian director Youssef Chahine, showcasing his illustrious career through testimonials from those who worked with him, most notably actor Mahmoud Hemida. In a significant move, the festival administration announced the launch of a new competition in honor of the late director Daoud Abdel Sayed. The competition, focusing on screenwriting and auteur cinema, will be judged by a panel including Wessam Soliman, Abdel Rahim Kamal, and Nasser Abdel Rahman.
In his opening address, festival president and screenwriter Sayed Fouad acknowledged the challenges faced in organizing this edition. He emphasized that the festival’s continuation stems from a deep love for cinema and the unwavering belief of its organizers in its importance as a cultural project, serving as a model for integration between cultural institutions and society.
Stars Shine in Luxor
Actress Yousra expressed her joy at participating in a festival that carries Youssef Chahine’s name, highlighting their personal and professional bond as a cornerstone of her nearly 50-year career. “I came especially for him,” she stated. Actress Reham Abdel Ghafour also extended her thanks to the festival administration for honoring her this year.
A Striking Appearance At The Ceremony
Khaled El Sawy made a striking appearence wearing traditional Upper Egyptian attire a galabeya and shawl. He explained it was an expression of his Egyptian identity, especially given the diverse African participation where each culture is represented through its traditional clothing. He used the moment to advocate for personal freedom of expression without restriction. In a separate interview, El Sawy shared his interest in portraying a historical figure on screen, naming Ramses II and Thutmose III as figures he admires. He also revealed he underwent gastric sleeve surgery, successfully losing around 40 kilograms for his health.
Festival Details and Vision
Sayed Fouad detailed that this year’s edition features the participation of 34 countries, bringing together screenwriters, directors, filmmakers, critics, and journalists. The program boasts 65 films and 12 panel discussions, all free and open to the public from 10 AM to 9 PM, welcoming audiences from Luxor and across Upper Egypt.
He added that South Africa is the festival’s honorary guest this year, celebrating its cinematic history spanning over 130 years. He noted that South African cinema has undergone significant evolution to authentically reflect its original identity.
The Series “Narges”
On the sidelines of her tribute at the opening ceremony, the festival organized a panel discussion with actress Reham Abdel Ghafour, featuring actor Khaled El-Sawy, held at the Luxor Temple in the city center.
Abdel Ghafour spoke about her role in the series “Narges,” which aired during Ramadan. She said her selection for the role came after a conversation with the producer, Mohamed Mesheesh, about the series idea before reading the script. She was excited by the challenge the role presented, in terms of both appearance and the nature of the character, and what audiences might expect from her.
She added that she watched previous online interviews related to the real person who inspired the work and succeeded in capturing some of her details. She noted that the character was distinguished by a degree of evasiveness in her responses.
“I was so excited about the project that I would feel anxious if I wasn’t contacted for three days. I would think the project had stopped, because of how attached I was to it. Thank God, we achieved greater success than we expected. I am happy and proud to be part of this work. I am lucky this year with ‘The Story of Narges.’ I consider it the role of a lifetime.”
A Desire for Change
Abdel Ghafour continued that after reading the script and following some interviews about the character, she decided to completely separate her real personality from the role and focus on the performance according to the director’s vision. The director was careful to present the character in a way that would earn the audience’s sympathy, highlighting the impact of social pressures and negative speech on a person.
She explained that her desire for artistic change began with her participation in the series “Al-Rayyan” in 2011. She sought to step out of her comfort zone and perform roles different from what audiences were used to. This continued through 2021, through diverse artistic experiences. Even when they carried some risk, her faith in God pushed her to make these decisions.
Sabry Fawaz: An Honest Actress Who Lives Her Roles
Actor Sabry Fawaz spoke about Reham Abdel Ghafour’s qualities, affirming that she has a heart that accommodates everyone. She is an honest person who holds no sensitivities about social media and treats the entire team as one, whether with stars, beginners, or children.
He noted her excellence in performing diverse roles without being confined to a fixed pattern. “One of her most important qualities is that she is not preoccupied with the image of Reham while working. She sets her personality aside and immerses herself completely in the role, transitioning into another character smoothly and with psychological calm. It is an ability many are afraid to attempt.”
Khaled El-Sawy: A Dark Side That Led Him to Make Peace With Himself
During the panel, actor Khaled El-Sawy spoke about his personal journey, explaining that he went through a difficult period as a child. He was in an accident that injured his leg, causing him great shock, especially as he had previously believed he would never be harmed.
Repeated failures in high school pushed him to think about change and reevaluate his goals. He decided to enroll in law school and became a model student. He added that his life witnessed many struggles between successful and difficult experiences, along with contracting and recovering from Hepatitis C. He affirmed that all these stages ultimately helped him make peace with himself and understand life more deeply.