Cairo, November 24, 2024 – The Europe Today: The Chinese film Brief History of a Family, directed by Lin Jianjie, won the prestigious Network for the Promotion of the Asia Pacific Cinema Award as the best Asian feature film at the 45th Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), which concluded on Friday evening.
Speaking to Xinhua after receiving the award, Lin, whose film is his first feature, expressed his joy: “It’s a great experience. In all the competitions here, it was the only feature-length Chinese language film. So, that’s very special and I’m very happy to win the award.”
The film, which delves into the dynamics of a Chinese middle-class family and their son’s mysterious friend, was praised for its nuanced exploration of emotions and its use of imagery and sound design. The jury remarked on its mature artistic vision, with the director himself noting, “They told me it doesn’t look like a filmmaker’s first feature. It’s very mature, and it has a very distinct artistic vision.”
Brief History of a Family will be screened at the Cairo Opera House, where the CIFF was held, as part of the ongoing festivities.
The 45th CIFF also saw a notable Chinese presence, including the screening of Decoded by Chen Sicheng, who was honored with the CIFF’s Golden Pyramid honorary award. A Chinese Cinema Week during the festival featured seven Chinese films, underscoring the significance of Chinese cinema on the global stage.
Egyptian film director Khaled El-Hagar, a jury member for the International Critics’ Week Competition, praised the Chinese film industry: “China has a great cinema industry for a long time, and we used to watch Chinese films while learning filmmaking,” he said. El-Hagar also stressed the importance of diverse cultural representation, stating that Egyptian and Arab audiences should be exposed to films from regions such as China and India, in addition to European and American cinema. He described Brief History of a Family as “very interesting and intriguing.”
The CIFF also featured a signing of a memorandum of understanding between the CIFF and the Beijing International Film Festival, aimed at enhancing cooperation between the two festivals in the field of cinema.
Egyptian Minister of Culture Ahmed Fouad Hanno highlighted the long-standing cultural ties between Egypt and China, noting that both countries’ cinematic traditions reflect their rich civilizations and share similarities in dramatic styles. He expressed confidence that the artistic collaboration between Egypt and China would enhance bilateral cultural exchange.
In the main International Competition, the Romanian film The New Year That Never Came by Bogdan Muresanu won the Golden Pyramid Award, with Russia’s Postmarks and Brazil’s Malu receiving the Silver and Bronze Pyramid Awards, respectively.
The CIFF, established in 1976, remains one of the oldest and most influential film festivals in the Arab world, Africa, and the Middle East. This year’s event showcased nearly 190 films from more than 70 countries, reinforcing its importance as a global cinematic platform.
