Luxor-born writer Wafaa El-Shoukairy secures top honors at the 15th Luxor African Film Festival. Discover how her award-winning screenplay, Ihtiyaj, breaks cultural silences on womanhood and marks her transition from literature to the forefront of auteur cinema.
Writer Wafaa Saadi Hussein El-Shoukairy, a native of Karnak, Al-Malqata village in Luxor Governorate, has secured first place in the “Daoud Abdel Sayed for Auteur Cinema” competition. Competing among thirty contestants during the 15th edition of the Luxor African Film Festival, she won for her screenplay “Ihtiyaj”. This marks her first participation in a film festival, representing her first serious steps into the world of cinema.
A Journey That Started Early
Bab Masr met with the young writer, who noted that her journey with writing began in childhood. She used to record her thoughts and feelings simply before this passion transformed into a real project she sought to develop, relying on constant reading and self-learning. This was especially significant given her lack of academic study of screenwriting, which did not deter her from a serious pursuit to understand its tools and structure.
“Ihtiyaj” A Silenced Voice
Ihtiyaj navigates the delicate human complexities facing women who have moved beyond traditional marital age. It delves into their psychological, emotional, and physical needs, alongside the longing for motherhood and the basic desire to be seen subjects often relegated to the margins or discussed only in hushed tones.
El-Shoukairy insists her aim isn’t to stir controversy, but rather to carve out a space for an honest dialogue about a reality many women inhabit without a voice to represent them. For her, writing is less about providing easy answers than it is about having the courage to ask the right questions.
From Literature to Cinema
Wafaa El-Shoukairy’s creative reach extends beyond the screen; she has already published a number of literary works, including the novels Cecilia and Random, alongside a short story collection titled Cancer. Each of these works is rooted in social reality, an attempt to capture the quiet, everyday nuances of ordinary people a perspective that translates seamlessly into her screenwriting, which is defined by its simplicity, honesty, and intimate focus on human detail.
She notes that the significance of the win whether material or symbolic was secondary to the professional doors it opened. Participating in the festival offered a rare chance for direct engagement with writers, directors, and producers, granting her a sharper understanding of the film market and its requirements. This exposure to diverse cinematic experiences from across the African continent, she believes, will be instrumental in refining her craft in the coming period.
Luxor Festival: A Platform for African Cinema
The 15th Luxor African Film Festival launched last Sunday evening, bringing together a wide range of filmmakers from Egypt and across the continent. This year’s edition held a special resonance, celebrating the centenary of the legendary international director Youssef Chahine under the banner “Youssef Chahine: An Egyptian Tale,” in tribute to his storied career and his enduring influence on both Arab and global cinema.
The edition witnessed the attendance of several stars, including Reham Abdel Ghafour and Khaled El-Sawy, alongside an elite group of filmmakers, critics, directors, and screenwriters from across Africa. South Africa served as the guest of honor for this session, reaffirming the deep-seated cultural and artistic bonds between Egypt and the rest of the continent.