The 24th edition of the Rotterdam Arab Film Festival kicks off on May 30, running until June 2 in the Netherlands.
The opening ceremony will honor Egyptian actor Ahmed Helmy for his contributions to cinema throughout his career, which began in the late 1990s, and will also honor veteran Syrian actor Dureid Lahham.
Helmy has starred in numerous films over the years, including “Aboud on the Border” (1999) by director Sherif Arafa, and has shared the lead role with a number of Egyptian cinema stars in several films, including “Sohar al-Layali” (Nights of Wakefulness).
He then began taking on lead roles in a number of acclaimed films, including “Mido Mashakel” (Mido Problems, 2003), “Saye’ Bahr” (Lost at Sea, 2004), “Zaki Chan,” (2005) “Zarf Tarek” (Tarek’s Situation) (2006), “Gaealtini Mogreman” (You Made Me a Criminal, 2006), “Matab Sana’i” (Industrial Bump, 2006), “Keda Rida” (So Be It, Rida, 2007), “Asf ‘ala al-Iza’ag” (Sorry for the Disturbance, 2008), “Lof w Doran” (Turning and Spinning), “Sana’a fi Masr” (Made in Egypt, 2014), “Balbal Hairan” (Perplexed Nightingale), “Ala Gosadi” (On My Dead Body) (2012), “Khayal Ma’at” (A Hundredth Imagination), and “Wahed Tani” (Another One) (2022).
Lahham is a celebrated Syrian actor/director comedian who has been active in the industry since 1960, and has gone on to perform in a variety of films, TV shows and plays.
Some of his most notable works include the TV series “Dreams of Abul-Hana“, “The Return of Ghawwaar“, the play “Expatriation” and films such as “Sah Al-Nawm” (1975).
He is also the director of “Ghurba” (1976) and “Al Hodoud” (1984).
The 24th edition of the Rotterdam Arab Film Festival will screen 33 films as part of the festival’s various programs.
This edition is distinguished by its focus on showcasing the diverse richness of Arab cinema through a platform showcasing Arab talents both from directly from the Arab world and the diaspora.
