Egyptian actress Rania Farid Shawki has been named honorary president of the first Mansoura International Children’s Film Festival. The event runs from 2 to 7 November and is the first festival of its kind in Egypt’s Delta governorates.
It will combine film screenings with workshops that introduce children and young people to the basics of filmmaking. Several government bodies and the national cinema syndicate have put their names behind the event.
Shawki called the role “an honour”, saying the festival places children and cinema at its centre. She said its aim is to raise awareness and develop children’s imagination through the arts. Her involvement gives the new event, which is still finalising its programme, a familiar name from Egyptian film and television as it prepares for its debut in the city of Mansoura, in Dakahlia governorate.
The festival has already started work on the ground. In April it ran a four-day training programme at the Mansoura Public Library, with workshops in directing, creative writing and animation. Dozens of children and young people attended each session, and the programme was supported by the Ministry of Youth and Sports. A second round of workshops is planned to take place alongside the November festival, so that participants gain practical skills as well as watching films.
The opening ceremony will honour actress Yousra El-Lozy for her social engagement and her work on children’s issues, especially initiatives for children with disabilities and their inclusion in society. Shawki highlighted El-Lozy’s advocacy for children with hearing difficulties, including her role in campaigns that promote early hearing screening for newborns. The festival is held under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture, the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, Dakahlia Governorate, the Mansoura Public Library and the Cinema Professions Syndicate. El-Lozy’s recognition at the opening reflects the festival’s focus on inclusion as well as on cinema. Most of Egypt’s film festivals are concentrated in Cairo, Alexandria and resort towns such as El Gouna, so a dedicated children’s event in the Delta widens the map and brings screenings to young audiences outside the main centres. Organisers have yet to publish the detailed programme, including the list of films and the venues for screenings. More information is expected in the coming weeks as the festival finalises its line-up ahead of the opening in early November.
