Discover the Winning Films at the BRICS Student Film Festival in Cairo

The first edition of the BRICS International Student Film Festival concluded at the Academy of Arts in Cairo, held under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture, with broad participation from film students representing BRICS countries and several friendly nations.

A total of 135 student films from Egypt, Russia, China, India, Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, and South Africa competed in the categories of fiction, documentary, and animation films, aiming to support young cinematic talents and strengthen cultural and artistic exchange among participating countries.

Dr. Mona El-Sabban, President of the festival and head of the Arab School of Cinema and Television, stated during the closing ceremony that the festival had successfully become a genuine platform for discovering emerging talents, praising the artistic quality of the participating works and expressing hope for broader participation in future editions across BRICS countries.

The Russian film “Salamander’s Land,” directed by Ekaterina Ulyanova, won the award for Best Animated Film, while the Chinese film “Princess Ariel” received the Best Short Fiction Film award, and the Indian film “Here Among Strangers” won Best Short Documentary.

On the Egyptian side, “A Special Dream” by director Ayman Salam won Best Short Fiction Film, “Cairo” by Ahmed Alaa Ismail received Best Documentary Film, and “Lafeen” by Omar Hossam El-Din won Best Animated Film.

Denis Brunikov, Deputy Director of Russian House in Cairo, expressed his happiness over the Russian film’s victory, noting that Russian students’ participation reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen ties with Egyptian cinema, which remains a leading force in the Arab world.

Sherif Ged, Cultural Activities Director at the Russian Cultural Center, emphasized that the festival opens new horizons for cultural and artistic exchange among young filmmakers in BRICS countries and helps build bridges between film festivals across these nations.

The festival concluded with honoring jury members, organizers, and volunteers, amid confirmations that the event marks an important step toward establishing a permanent platform supporting youth cinema within and beyond BRICS countries.