3 days ago
Qeset El Khareef to Make World Premiere at Khouribga African Film Festival
The Khouribga African Film Festival in Morocco has officially selected the Egyptian film Qeset El Khareef (Autumn Story) for its world premiere, representing Egypt at the festival's 25th edition, running from June 21 to 28.
One of Africa's longest-running festivals, Khouribga first launched in 1977 and is considered the continent's third most prominent, following Tunisia's Carthage Film Days and Burkina Faso's FESPACO.
Directed and written by Karim Makram, Qeset El Khareef marks his feature-length debut following several acclaimed shorts and documentaries. The film explores themes of alienation and emotional isolation through a group of characters from different social backgrounds.
Starring Youssef Othman, Buthaina Hagar, Ashraf Mahdy, and a large ensemble cast, the film is a truly independent effort that took five years to complete due to the challenges of financing local indie productions. With little access to funding, the filmmakers relied on personal contributions, reduced fees, and collaborative passion to bring the project to life.
The film's crew includes costume designer Afnan Zakaria Ghazala, cinematographer Mahmoud Lotfy, production designer Yasser El-Husseiny, colorist Atteya Amin, sound engineer Mohab Ezz, sound designer Mohamed Salah, music composer Youssef Sadeq, editor Dalia Atta, and producers Rafiq Anton, Karim Makram, and Eman Samir Fadel (Arrow Film Productions), with executive production by Sherif Abou Hemila (New Pictures).
Qeset El Khareef is set to be a strong voice for Egypt in one of Africa's key cinematic showcases.
