The Cairo International Film Festival (Ciff) will honour Egyptian actress Mona Zaki, one of the biggest stars in Egypt, with the Faten Hamama Excellence Award at the festival's opening ceremony in December this year.
“Mona Zaki is the quintessential star of her generation," said festival president Mohamed Hefzy in a statement. “With her daring and intelligent career choices, she has been able to achieve the difficult balance of both critical and commercial success. She always knows when to say no, and therefore she retains her glamour and stardom in addition to the respect and appreciation of the public even if she is absent for some time.”
Her latest roles were in 2016 with the television series Afra Al Qobba and Amr Arafa's film 30 Years Ago.
Zaki, who started her acting career as a teenager, made her debut on stage in the play Bel Araby Al Faseeh directed by Mohamed Sobhi. She went on to play significant roles in both film and television, including the lead role in Yousry Nasrallah's Scheherazade Tell Me a Story, which was selected at the Venice Film Festival in 2009.
Previous recipients of the award, which is named after legendary Egyptian actress Faten Hamama, include Menna Shalaby and Mohamed Khan.
This year, Ciff will take place from December 2 to 10. Earlier this month, the festival announced it has pushed its dates by two weeks in November to ensure safety measures are in place in light of Covid-19.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
The specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
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Torque: 849Nm
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WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
