During a panel discussion titled “Digital Restoration: Reviving the Visual Heritage of Arab Cinema”, legendary actor and festival president Hussein Fahmy highlighted the urgent need to restore Egypt’s cinematic heritage as part of the 46th Cairo International Film Festival, held at the Cairo Opera House.
Fahmy revealed that more than 1,300 Egyptian films require restoration, describing them as “a national treasure and a cultural wealth.”
He added that the Holding Company for Film, responsible for the restoration initiative, selects titles based on their artistic and historical importance.
Among the first films scheduled for restoration are Between Two Palaces, Palace of Desire, The Sin, and Something of Fear, which will be screened in a special festival program after completion.
He emphasized that film restoration is not just a technological process but a vital act of cultural preservation. “We must protect these films,” he said.
“Restoration is essential for the future, because preserving heritage is the heart of what we do.”
The session brought together key industry figures, including Hussein Fahmy, filmmaker Tamer El Said, restoration specialist Oussin El Souwaf, and co-director of Arsenal – Institute for Film and Video Art Stefanie Schulte Strathaus, moderated by director Maggie Morgan.
The discussion explored the role of digital restoration in saving the visual memory of Arab cinema, and the responsibility of cultural institutions to support archival projects.
Filmmaker Tamer El Said explained that restoration is not limited to protecting films from deterioration but is a way to revitalize cinematic heritage and enable classic films to speak to modern viewers.
He stressed that the objective is to preserve the original spirit of each film: “We’re not just using technology.
We’re preserving the moment the film was made; its aesthetics, its atmosphere, its authenticity.”
He pointed out the challenges posed by the absence of technical references for older productions, making it difficult to fully replicate the original cinematic feel.
El Said also announced that four major films by Youssef Chahine are currently being restored: Egyptian Story, Alexandria… Why?, The Sparrow (for the first time), and The Return of the Prodigal Son, in collaboration with the International Egypt Committee.
Restoration expert Oussin El Souwaf provided a detailed overview of the wide range of techniques involved in restoring old films.
He discussed improvements related to sound clarity, image sharpness, and color recovery, explaining how these processes help bring aged films back to life while respecting their original cinematic identity.
El Souwaf also stressed that restoration is not purely technical, it carries ethical and cultural responsibilities.
He highlighted the importance of remaining faithful to the filmmaker’s original vision, protecting historical context, and ensuring that restored films maintain their cultural authenticity.
He noted that ethical restoration safeguards not only the visual material but also the values, traditions, and social nuances embedded within each film.
German archivist Stefanie Schulte Strathaus emphasized the significance of personal archives, explaining that archival materials preserve far more than cinematic content, they also hold cultural and social narratives with remarkable precision.
She noted that many Arab archival materials stored in European restoration labs contribute to meaningful cultural exchange and strengthen global awareness of Arab cinema.
The panel underscored the urgent need for coordinated regional and international efforts to save decades of cinematic history at risk of fading.
Through advanced restoration technology and collective cultural responsibility, the Cairo International Film Festival continues to lead the movement to preserve the visual memory of Arab cinema for future generations.
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