CAIRO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL has got together with International the Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI celebrating its 100th anniversary), and the Egyptian Film Critics Association (EFCA), to publish a list of their all time Top 25 Egyptian Films of the First Quarter of the 21st Century.” .
CAIRO (CIFF) is about to celebrate is 46th edition, from 12–21 November 2025, and the results of the poll will form part of a glossy comprehensive new book. The volume will include 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 take place during the festival to present and debate the book.
The poll was just one of the international events marking FIPRESCI’s 100th anniversary. The partnership was formally announced at the Egyptian Pavilion of the Marché du Film during this year’s 78th Cannes Film Festival (13–24 May 2025).
The 25 films were selected by 63 members of FIPRESCI from amongst 881 features publicly released in cinemas, satellite and digital platforms in Egypt in the first half of this century – between 1 January 2001 and 31 July 2025 – in order to allow them to be announced during the festival.
Top 25 Egyptian Films (2000–2025)
1. I Love Cinema (2004) by Ossama Fawzy
2. Messages from the Sea (2010) by Daoud Abdel Sayed
3. A Citizen, a Detective, and a Thief (2001) by Daoud Abdel Sayed
4. Gate of the Sun (2004) by Yousry Nasrallah
5. In the Heliopolis Apartment (2007) by Mohamed Khan
6. Sleepless Nights (2003) by Hani Khalifa
7. The Best of Times (2004) by Hala Khalil
8. Microphone (2011) by Ahmad Abdalla Elsayed
9. Ibrahim El Abyad (2009) by Mawran Hamed
10. The Yacoubian Building (2006) by Mawran Hamed
11. The Magician (2001) by Radwan El-Kashef
12. In the Last Days of the City (2016) by Tamer El Said
13. His Excellency the Minister (2002) by Samir Seif
14. Scheherazade, Tell Me a Story (2009) by Yousry Nasrallah
15. Coming Forth by Day (2012) by Hala Lotfy
16. The Closed Doors (2001) by Atef Hatata
17. Feathers (2021) by Omar Zohairy
18. The Aquarium (2008) by Yousry Nasrallah
19. Seeking a Way Out for Mr. Rambo (2025) by Khaled Mansour
20. Factory Girl (2014) by Mohamed Khan
21. One-Zero (2009) by Kamlah Abu-Zikri
22. Leisure Time (2006) by Mohammed Moustafa
23. The Island (2007) by Sherif Arafa
24. Abu Zaabal 89 (2025) by Bassam Mortada
25. Chaos, This Is (2007) by Youssef Chahine & Khaled Youssef
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 organisations 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.
CAIRO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2025 | 12-21 NOVEMBER 2025