20/05/2026
Luxor African Film Festival Announces Dates for Its 16th Edition and Honors Egyptian Film Star Ahmed Malek
The edition is dedicated to the late Moroccan composer Abdelwahab Doukkali and highlights East African cinema
Screenwriter Sayed Fouad, founder and president of the Luxor African Film Festival, announced that the festival’s 16th edition will take place from March 25 to 31, 2027. The festival is held in official partnership with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, and with the support and collaboration of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Tourism and Antiquities, Youth and Sports, as well as Luxor Governorate.
Fouad explained that this edition will honor young Egyptian star Ahmed Malek in recognition of his distinguished artistic career and the diverse roles he has performed, reflecting clear artistic awareness and notable talent among his generation—especially in light of his recent successes both locally and internationally. Malek previously won the Best Actor award at the 15th edition of the Luxor African Film Festival for his role in the film My Father’s scent, directed by Mohamed Siam.
The festival also announced that the upcoming edition will be dedicated to the memory of the renowned Moroccan composer Abdelwahab Doukkali, in appreciation of his significant contributions to Arab and African cinema through his musical and lyrical works, which have become part of the artistic collective memory.
Director Azza El-Hosseiny, co-founder and director of the festival, stated that the upcoming edition will spotlight East African cinema, given its remarkable development since the beginning of the third millennium to the present day, both in terms of production and quality. This is particularly evident in countries such as Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Somalia, and South Sudan. These cinemas have succeeded in presenting works that reflect their social and cultural realities, with growing attention to issues of identity, women, and political and social transformations, alongside clear advancements in production techniques and methods—contributing to their increasing presence at international festivals in recent years.
El-Hosseiny added that the festival will publish a special book on East African cinema and its development during the third millennium, in addition to organizing a main seminar to discuss its future prospects. The program will also include a panorama of the region’s most important films, aiming to introduce Egyptian and African audiences to the most prominent new cinematic experiences.
This announcement was made during the participation of director Azza El-Hosseiny, the festival director, in the current edition of the Cannes Film Festival in France, where she is working to strengthen collaboration with African filmmakers and explore partnership opportunities with supporting institutions.
