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The 46th Cairo International Film Festival will run on Nov. 12–21 in Egypt’s capital with a program that underscores cinema’s universal reach and the value of cross-cultural dialogue. Türkiye will take a visible role, opening a national stand and fielding films across sections, while acclaimed filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan serves as president of the international competition jury.
Celebrated for visually rich, introspective storytelling, Nuri Bilge Ceylan began his practice in photography and built a body of work that probes deep human emotions and existential themes. His films—including "Once Upon a Time in Anatolia," "Winter Sleep," and "Three Monkeys"—are known for striking cinematography and reflective narratives, often placing people within urban or natural landscapes to reveal cultural codes and psychological portraits.
Born in 1959 in Istanbul, he studied electrical engineering at Bogazici University and completed two years of film studies at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. Over the years, his solo and group photography exhibitions have appeared at institutions such as Istanbul Modern, Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam, CerModern in Ankara, and galleries in Istanbul, Izmir, and New York.
Ceylan’s films "Bir Zamanlar Anadolu’da" (Once Upon a Time in Anatolia), "Ahlat Agaci" (The Wild Pearl Tree), and "Uzak" (Distant) will screen in the festival’s Retrospective section—a curated program that looks back at an artist’s influential works.
He will also lead a masterclass on Nov. 16, a teaching session in which a leading practitioner breaks down methods, influences, and creative choices for students and professionals.
Two titles will represent Türkiye in the International Competition: "Oldurdugumuz Seyler," written and directed by Alireza Khatami and premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, and "Aldigimiz Nefes," directed by Seyhmus Altun with support from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s General Directorate of Cinema.
Backed by the Ministry’s General Directorate of Cinema and organized in collaboration with TESIYAP—the Television and Cinema Film Producers Professional Association—Türkiye will open a national stand from Nov. 15-21.
The stand functions as an industry booth where international producers, directors, distributors, sales agents, and film professionals meet their counterparts from Türkiye to discuss co-productions and distribution. The Embassy of Türkiye in Cairo will also host a reception on Nov. 16.
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