The Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), in partnership with the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) and the Egyptian Film Critics Association (EFCA), proudly announces the results of the poll “Top 25 Egyptian Films of the First Quarter of the 21st Century.”
This initiative celebrates the historic collaboration between the festival and FIPRESCI on the occasion of the federation’s centennial.
As part of its official 46th edition publications (to be held 12–21 November 2025), the festival will release a comprehensive book documenting the poll’s results. The volume will feature critical analyses of each of the 25 selected films, along with an extensive overview of the key artistic and production trends that have shaped Egyptian cinema over the past quarter-century. A dedicated discussion session will also be organized during the festival to present and debate the book.
The poll was launched as one of the major international events marking FIPRESCI’s 100th anniversary. The partnership was formally announced at the Egyptian Pavilion of the Marché du Film during the 78th Cannes Film Festival (13–24 May 2025).
The initiative was the outcome of a brainstorming session that brought together the three parties—FIPRESCI, CIFF, and EFCA—aimed at documenting and critically examining more than a century of Egyptian cinema and highlighting its achievements through a rigorous critical lens.
Poll Methodology
A voting form was distributed to all members of the Egyptian Film Critics Association, accompanied by a list of 881 feature films publicly released in Egypt between 1 January 2001 and 31 July 2025. Although the final five months of 2025 were not included, the timeline ensured the results could be announced during the festival.
Eligible titles comprised films released in theaters as well as those that premiered directly on satellite channels or streaming platforms, guaranteeing equal competition.
The poll drew significant participation, with 63 members submitting their selections, reflecting the critics’ strong engagement and their desire to contribute to a reference that will guide future audiences and researchers seeking to explore critics’ favorites from a pivotal period in Egyptian cinema—one that has yet to receive sufficient in-depth critical analysis.
Top 25 Egyptian Films (2000–2025)
Chaos, This Is (2007) by Youssef Chahine & Khaled Youssef
I Love Cinema (2004) by Ossama Fawzy
Messages from the Sea (2010) by Daoud Abdel Sayed
A Citizen, a Detective, and a Thief (2001) by Daoud Abdel Sayed
Gate of the Sun (2004) by Yousry Nasrallah
In the Heliopolis Apartment (2007) by Mohamed Khan
Sleepless Nights (2003) by Hani Khalifa
The Best of Times (2004) by Hala Khalil
Microphone (2011) by Ahmad Abdalla Elsayed
Ibrahim El Abyad (2009) by Mawran Hamed
The Yacoubian Building (2006) by Mawran Hamed
The Magician (2001) by Radwan El-Kashef
In the Last Days of the City (2016) by Tamer El Said
His Excellency the Minister (2002) by Samir Seif
Scheherazade, Tell Me a Story (2009) by Yousry Nasrallah
Coming Forth by Day (2012) by Hala Lotfy
The Closed Doors (2001) by Atef Hatata
Feathers (2021) by Omar Zohairy
The Aquarium (2008) by Yousry Nasrallah
Seeking a Way Out for Mr. Rambo (2025) by Khaled Mansour
Factory Girl (2014) by Mohamed Khan
One-Zero (2009) by Kamlah Abu-Zikri
Leisure Time (2006) by Mohammed Moustafa
The Island (2007) by Sherif Arafa
Abu Zaabal 89 (2025) by Bassam Mortada
Founded in 1976, Cairo International Film Festival is among the oldest and most prestigious film festivals in the Arab world and Africa. It holds an official Category “A” accreditation from the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF)—the only Arab and African festival with this status.
The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI), established in 1925 in Brussels, unites national organizations of film critics from over 50 countries, along with individual members from around 40 additional countries, and is dedicated to promoting global film culture and protecting the professional interests of film critics worldwide.
TunisianMonitorOnline (Douha Essafi)
