Cairo Festival Reverses Cuts After 47th Edition Faces Withdrawal Crisis

The 47th Cairo International Film Festival is running from November 11 to 20, but the event is currently dealing with a dispute over a withdrawn entry. Turkish director Ferit Kilic removed his feature film Dancing Angels from the lineup, a move that sparked allegations of censorship among international observers.

The conflict began when festival management emailed the film’s team to announce its removal from the Critics Week competition. This decision came after the title had been selected as a competition entry during a press conference on October 12. The selection had also been promoted through the festival’s official social media channels.

In the email, management pointed to previous projects by Turkish producers Diloy Gulun and Beste Yamalioglu. The two had co-produced Eagles of the Republic, a political thriller directed by Tarik Saleh that competed at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. The Cairo organizers stated that they viewed that earlier film as hostile to the Egyptian people, the festival audience, and the Egyptian state, which influenced their handling of the new submission.

Producers reacted by contacting representatives from major European trade organizations, including the International Federation of Film Producers Associations and the European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs. They also reached out to Turkey’s Meetings on the Bridge co-production platform to request sanctions. This coordinated pressure led festival management to backtrack and re-invite the film and its team to participate in the Critics Week competition.

Despite the reversal, Ferit Kilic declined the renewed invitation. He withdrew Dancing Angels from the Egyptian event, canceling the planned world premiere. The film follows Ali, a 15-year-old boy navigating a violent world, and reflects on the pressures society imposes on young people and adults.

In a statement, the festival noted that Critics Week has always supported young filmmakers from diverse cultural, religious, and political backgrounds. Management expressed sadness that Kilic was subjected to this situation and stated that they had apologized for the miscommunication on multiple occasions. They reaffirmed their commitment to supporting young artists and presenting exceptional works of art.

The organizers acknowledged that they decided to renew the invitation after learning of the circumstances. They noted that the producers and filmmaker were not inclined to accept the offer. The festival stated that it respects the decision to withdraw the film and emphasized its commitment to being a space of artistic freedom and open dialogue.