Femi Osofisan: honor, Cairo International Festival

[Toyin Falola]

Cairo International Festival for Contemporary and Experimental Theater was founded in 1988 as Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theater. After it concluded its twenty-second edition in 2010 it was suspended/adjourned in 2011 until 2015. Then again, here it is this year with a new term added to its title. “Contemporary” has been introduced to the title with the hope that it would open up the scope for a wider range of participation and varied production-styles for a broader audience. Moreover, the festival returns without one of its former guidelines: thecontest, competition or awards, rather, it returns as a theatrical panorama aiming to encompass contemporary and unique international experiments. It returns with the understanding that it is collaboration, exchange, conversations—not awards—that should be the aim of all major international festivals and assemblies.

This year a large number of Arab and International theater companies are participating in addition to a long list Egyptian productions. The festival includes six workshops led by major international artists from Chile, USA, Pakistan and India. Additionally, there will be four major panels focusing on Arab Theater and the west scheduled on the fringe.

The festival is pleased to honour six major international Theater artists::

Gameel Rateb: Prominent actor and director: Gameel Rateb! He studied Theater in France, and since has appeared in over forty stage productions in both France and Egypt, as well as tens of films and television series

Mumbi Kaigwa Artistic Director at The Arts Canvas where she creates campaigns that use art at address social themes such as violence, torture, human rights, peace and conflict.

Lu Ang Professor and Dean of Department of Directing at Shanghai Theatre Academy, and Vice Chairman of Shanghai Theatre Association. Mr Lu Anghas directed over 70 theater productions at home in China and abroad.

His Excellency Muhammad Sayf al-Afkham President of International Theater Institute. Director General of al-FujairahMunicipality?? He is the president of the International Monodrama Forum and Director of The Fujairah Culture and Media Authority

Torange Yehiazerian Founding Artistic Director of Golden Thread Productions, the first American theater company devoted to the Middle East, where she launched ReOrientFestival and Forum, Middle East America, Islam 101, New Threads and the Fairytale Players.

Femi Osofican Prominent dramatist and professor: He obtained his PhD at University of Ibadan, France, and is currently a Distinguished Professor of Theatre Arts at Kwara State University

Toyin Falola

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