Egypt Guest of Honor at Cannes

For the first time in its history, the Cannes Film Festival 11-22 May offered a tribute to a guest country–Egypt.

Egypt is both the film capitol of the Arab world and undergoing dramatic, revolutionary, people-led political reforms, and the combination was apparently irresistible to the directors of the festival.

There was a film festival, a party, and on May 18, the screening of a new film, Tamantasher Yom (18 Days), in which ten directors offer ten short films inspired by the events of Jan. 25-Feb. 11.

Doha Film Institute has a video of the Canne tribute here.

And there’s a descriptive review of the film “18 Days” in Variety, and an AFP review here.

And here’s the new film’s trailer: