Cairo film festival goes ahead

The inauguration of the International Festival Film in Cairo has been put back a day in light of planned protests against Premier Mohammed Morsi's immunity decree, but the festival will go ahead, Egypt's Culture Minister, Mohamed Saber Arab said. ''It is a simple precaution'', festival Vice-President Soheir Abdelkader told ANSAmed. Three different rallies are set to converge in Tahrir Square Tuesday afternoon. The Muslim Brotherhood postponed a separate march in support of Morsi in light of possible violence. The country has struggled to find stability since the collapse of Hosni Mubarak's regime. And the film industry, already on its knees has lost precious ground to market rivals. According to some observers Egypt is at risk of losing its international recognition from the FAPF (Federation Internationale des Associations de Producteurs de Films), the body which accredits films festivals across the world such as Berlin, Cannes, and Venice. The country skipped the 2011 festival due to political strife. But the oldest film festival in the Middle East and a beacon of culture in the Arab world, can't afford to do the same this year. Neither can it afford to lost the accreditation of the Jerusalem Festival, which is waiting to be recognized. Two films produced by Syria have already been withdrawn from the festival to save face in the light of the crisis. Screenings will be held in the Opera House between November 28 to December 7.