TEHRAN – Egypt’s refusal to issue visas to a number of Iranian cineastes has prevented them from attending the 35th Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF).
Festival President Ezzat Abou-Ouf has said that all preliminaries have been prepared for attending the Iranian cineastes, but Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has refused to issue visas for the group, the Persian service of the Fars News Agency reported on Wednesday quoting Masrawy, an Arabic Egyptian news web portal.
The festival opened with a one-day delay on Wednesday over the unrest hit Cairo over the past few days.
Organizers of the festival have announced that two Iranian films will be competing in this event, which runs until December 6.
“The Private Life of Mr. & Mrs.”, a drama directed by Ruhollah Hejazi on a marital discord, will be screened in the international competition.
“Flight of the Kites”, directed by Ali Qavitan about a teacher and his pupils in a remote region, will be shown in the International Human Rights Films section.
A large group of Egyptian cineastes visit Iran during the second week of November at Iran Cinema Organization’s invitation
Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance had previously invited a delegation of Egyptian cineastes to Tehran in August 2011.
MMS/YAW
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