"Evil Eye" receives Grand Reception as Cairo Film Festival's Entry in the "Fantastic 7" Initiative at Cannes

Yesterday, the film project "Evil Eye," directed by Iraqi filmmaker Yasser Karim, was presented as the Cairo International Film Festival’s selection for the “Fantastic 7” initiative, held as part of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. The initiative is a collaboration between the Cannes Marché du Film and the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival, highlighting standout genre projects from around the world.

The "Fantastic 7" initiative spotlights the future of genre cinema—including fantasy, horror, and science fiction—by showcasing seven standout projects nominated by seven leading international film festivals. These selections are presented to a diverse audience of investors, distributors, sales agents, and genre enthusiasts, with the aim of nurturing emerging talent and connecting filmmakers with potential partners who can provide vital funding and help bring their stories to broader audiences.

The presentation began with critic Mohamed Sayed Abdel Rahim, the Head of Cairo Industry Days, who noted that the "Evil Eye" project previously participated in Cairo Film connection during the 45th edition of the Cairo International Film Festival in 2024.

The session also featured the participation of the film’s director, Yasser Karim, and producer, Aws Allami, who spoke about the project’s vision, noting that it blends myth and reality in an atmosphere of fear and resistance. Set in southern Iraq, the story follows a young woman’s struggle against deeply rooted traditions in a conservative society.

Critic Mohamed Sayed Abdel Rahim noted that the presentation was very well received, with the audience praising both the film’s concept and the progress achieved so far.