Ahmed Atef(1971-2026)

Ahmed Atef "Dorra" is talented and award winning Egyptian Filmmaker and writer considered one of the innovative and prominent faces of Arab Cinema and writing scene. Most of his films presented all over the world and gained recognition and critical acclaim. Born April 17. 1971, he started his career as professional child actor for Egyptian TV series from 1981 to 1986. He specialized first in directing documentary films which reflects the Egyptian reality with audacity and poetry. He become a noticeable name with his first fiction feature film "Omar 2000 , which was critically acclaimed and described his cinematic style with high dose of imagination. He gained commercial success with his second feature film "How to let girls love you"(2003) , a semi musical picture . He launched 2006 his film production company (Egypt Films) . He started auto-producing and directing films like: Demons of Cairo ( Al Ghaba) (2007), the duo films about Arab spring : The Oriental Gate ( 2013), Before the spring ( 2014). He spent the next following couple of years in the making of his Tv series ( Setat Adra)( Femme Fatale) ( 2016), which gained the highest ranks of visibility in 6 major Arab TV channels. For 25 years, he traveled a long cinematic path, making a dozen films and television series that combine direct cinema and experimental research in a poetic exploration of the reality. The search for lost humanity is at the heart of the concerns of each of his films. Selected and awarded by major film festivals such as Rotterdam Film Festival, Montreal World Cinema, Hamburg Film Festival, Fespaco, San Francisco Arab, Burundi, Senegal, Rabat,Brussels, Kiev and others, Atef's films have traveled the world. Among his important awards: The Movied Med (best Mediterranean script that promotes mutual understanding (2010), European Union Prize for the best film that promotes freedom at Fespaco (2015), Human Rights Prize at Kelibia festival ( Tunisia) (1991), Best Film at the New York Film Festival for Social Films (2015), Best film at Washington Dc independent film festival.( 2008), Best sound and best film reflecting city at Fespaco 2009. He is film critic, Columnist at Al Ahram, A poet and scriptwriter. He published many books in cinema like :Cinematograph Lumiere, in poetry like ( the good daughter). Very soon, it will appears his philosophical thoughts book ( Catalogue of Life). He worked as expert for the project euro-med audiovisual 1 He served as a jury member at: Tetouan , Tehran , (Egypt), (Clermont Ferrand) , Carthage Milan.Cannes Film Festival 2010