1.
SV Tahrir Square in Cairo and monument with banner in Arabic advertising festival.
0.08

2.
SV ZOOM INTO English version of poster on monument.
0.13

3.
SV PAN Actresses and actors seated among crowd.
0.22

4.
SV Actress Susannah York PAN TO Georgina Hale.
0.35

5.
SV PAN Stars.
0.51

6.
SV PAN Egyptian Premier Mamdouh Salem arriving on stage with other officials. (2 shots).
1.05

7.
SV Stars waiting for presentations.
1.10

8.
SV PAN Salem shaking hands with film actor.
1.15

9.
SV PAN Susannah York being presented to Salem as other stars applaud. (2 shots).
1.22

10.
SV Another actor being presented to Salem.
1.26



Initials RM/0130



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The world of films.......and Cairo is the venue currently attracting international scree celebrities. Scores of stars have arrived in the Egyptian capital for its International Film Festival - only three years old, yet already recognised as a prime showcase for Middle Eastern and Asian films.

SYNOPSIS: During the ten days of the festival, some one hundred films from forty countries will be screened. The entries are drawn from Asia and the Arab world, including Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt, but also from Europe. The stars attending come from a similar wide spectrum of nations.

A contingent of British film celebrities included Susannah York and Georgina Hale - Miss York reportedly being a special favourite with Egyptian and international news photographers.

Other personalities present include British film critic Alexander Walker and well-known Italian screenwriter Alberto Moravia. There are many Middle Eastern and Asian celebrities attending the festival too - though most are unknown in the West.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mamdouh Salem officially opened the festival at Cairo's Radio Movie Theatre on Monday (25 September). Organised by the Egyptian Association of Film Critics and Writers - a non-governmental body - the event awards prizes for the best stars, directors, music composers and cameramen. There are also gold, silver and bronze statuettes of Queen Nefertiti for the top features, documentaries and short films. Mr Salem also officiated at the very first Cairo international festival two years ago - since then the Middle Eastern film business has grown considerably.