Karim Adel - Cairo

The director of the Cairo International Film Festival decided to launch the name of the late art critic Yusuf Sharif Rizkallah on the 41st session of the festival, which will be held from 20 to 29 November.

The directorate said in a statement that her decision came in recognition of the 32-year-old bidder, since he was chosen artistic secretary of the festival in 1987 and then as artistic director from 2000 until his departure on July 12, 2019.

The statement added that the Supreme Advisory Committee settled during its last meeting to keep the name of Yusuf Sharif Rizkallah as technical director of the session 41, with the mandate of his deputy, Ahmed Shawki, to manage all technical matters related to this session.

"The name of critic Youssef Shareef Rizkallah will remain connected to the minds, audiences and pioneers of the Cairo Film Festival forever and deserves more than just giving the 41st to his soul," said Mohammed Hafee, film producer and president of the Cairo Film Festival.

The writer, Ahmed Rizkallah (the son of the late), praised the decision of the festival administration to launch his father's name on the 41st session, adding that this enhances the appreciation of the festival and the film center for the important role played by Youssef Sharif Rizkallah in spreading the cinematic culture in Egypt in general.

Yusuf Sharif Sharif Rizkallah was born on September 5, 1942, and graduated from the Jesuit School. He was ranked fifth in the republic in 1961, before joining the Faculty of Economics and Political Science at Cairo University, where he graduated in 1966.

Rizkallah began his career as Editor-in-Chief of the Radio and Television Union, before he was assigned the task of preparing and presenting a number of programs that had a great role in raising awareness and cinematic culture among the viewers. And during this period he presented and prepared the messages of the Cairo International Film Festival, the Cannes International Film Festival and other local and international festivals since the 1970s.

Yousef Sharif Sharif Rizkallah has been appointed to the position of President of the Nile International Channel from 1997 to 2002, Head of the International Cooperation Sector of the Media Production City from 2007 to 2011, and Head of the Cinematography in the Media Production City from March 2011 to March 2012 .

He has also served as the artistic director of the Luxor Festival of European and Egyptian Cinema. He also chaired the Cairo Film Society from 1978 to 1994.