LAFF `s Closing Ceremony
The closing ceremony of Luxor African Film Festival was held in Cultural palace in Luxor. The Luxor governor, Ezzat Saad, the ex-minister of culture, Emaad Abu Ghazy, and Hassan Khalaf as a representative for Culture `s Minister attended the ceremony.
Sayd Fouad, the head of the festival, opened the ceremony by his speech. He said:” Today, I can say that we, as Egyptian cinema, had got little closer to African continent and the African cinema had got closer to Egypt. This is one of the festival `s targets.”
“ May be there are some mistakes but in the next rounds there will be what is better for Egypt and Africa”.
In his speech, the Luxor governor Ezzat Saad said:” As we are getting close to the end of LAFF, I want, in behalf of Luxor governorate, to thank everyone took part to make this festival successful, special thank to all African artists, producers, and to all of those who came to Egypt to take part in this festival. I thank too the Luxor people who embraced the festival with affection and love”.
After that, the Ethiopian artist who was honored through the first round of LAFF, Haily Gerima, went up to the stage. He said that, as a film maker, he grew up among many challenges but he succeeded in achieving his dream as Ethiopian guy. He added that Egypt suffers from conflict between its Egyptian identity and its African identity but LAFF showed its African identity as a start to end this conflict.
“ The festival is a part of Gamal Abd Il Nasir `s dream of reinforcement of relations between Egypt and Africa”.
Then, the jury of short films competition, Mama Keita, Fanta Regina, and Mustafa Il-Misnawy, declared the winners as follows:
The best artistic partnership for short film: The Tunisian film” Qaa` Il-Beer” by Mu`iz Hassan.
The jury `s special award: The Nigerian film” Sarkhit Taair” by Sany Il- Haj Magory.
The Nile award for best short film( in the name of the director Soliman Sisie): The Moroccan film” Hayat Qasira”.
The first short film award( in the name of the director Radwan Il-Kashif): shared by “ Gild Hay” by Fawzy Salih and” Casafa Metaphor” by Lionel Matthew.
Muhamad Khan, Hend Sabry and Abd Il-Rahman Sisako declared the prizes of the long film Jury.
The best artistic partnership for long film: “ Born on 25 of Jan” by Ahmad Rashwan. Rashwan dedicated the prize to all who took part in revolution and the martyrs who lost their lives and declared that the revolution is going on and will success.
The jury `s special award: “ Il-Sudan Habibatona” by the director Taghreed Il-Sanhory.
The Nile award for best long film: “ Fata Il-Ruh” by the Kenyan director Hua Othman.