In 1975, after a visit to the Berlin Film Festival the late writer-critic Kamal El Mallakh and a group of like-minded cinema critics wondered why such a world-class festival couldn't take place in Egypt. The country was still riding the crest of Egyptian cinema's golden age and contained a formidable film industry, still the biggest in the Arab world. The Cairo International Film Festival was launched in 1976, the first film festival in the entire Middle East.
The 1976 festival featured around 100 films from 33 countries, with 14 movies from 14 different countries in competition. In an effort to celebrate the best international cinema, the Cairo Film Festival has proven its daring and versatility year after year and continues to act as a meeting point not only for filmmakers and critics but also for writers, intellectuals and other artists.
The Egyptian Association of Film Writers and Critics headed the festival for the first seven years until 1983. In the following year, the Union of Artist's Syndicates supervised the festival, and after that point, several associations mustered their resources to run the festival. The Egyptian Association of Film Writers and Critics joined with the Ministry of Culture and the Union of Artist's Syndicates to form a joint committee in 1985 that would improve the quality and financial state of the festival.
The Cairo Film Festival moved into the 21st century with hope. Hussein Fahmy, President of Cairo Fest, told UKHotMovies.com at the turn of the Millennium: "As we are moving into the new century, we want to put away the wars and bombings and remember to laugh."
Egyptians seem grateful for the Festival. Most people are never exposed to films made outside of Egypt other than trite Hollywood fare and it offers the opportunity for audiences to watch films from other countries and gain an insight into their customs and concerns.
source: wikipedia