2nd Edition of Film O'Clock Int'l Festival Ticks Its Way to Egypt

It's the kind of thing that wouldn't be possible without the internet. The second edition of the Film O'Clock International Festival is a global showcase of short films that will take place at the exact same time across six different countries, namely Bulgaria, Greece, South Africa, Romania, Lithuania, and Egypt. Each nation brings two movies to the event to represent them, for a total of 12 films to be screened between March 1st and March 6th.

'Once Upon a Time in the Cafe', written and directed by Noha Adel, counts as one of Egypt's films. It's a 16-minute film about a group of football fans watching the 2018 World Cup qualification match between Egypt and Russia in a Cairo cafe, before a young intruder walks in and insults Mohamed Salah. And then, all hell breaks loose. The film was recognised with a Jury Award and an Audience Award at Zawya Short Films Festival in 2020.

The second Egyptian film, 'What We Don't Know About Mariam', is a 25-minute feature written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Morad Mostafa, who is known for films like 'Henet Ward', which earned 13 awards and received 50 nominations. 'What We Don't Know About Mariam' follows the titular character as she is rushed into a public hospital with her husband and daughter, while bleeding from an intense pain in her abdomen.

The first edition of the Film O'Clock International Festival began in 2021, and focused on five countries: Egypt, Greece, Romania, Lithuania and South Africa. The festival gathers countries from the same meridian to share their love of movies with one another, adding a new country each year.