On November 29, 2025, local time, the 2025 Chinese Film Week in Egypt officially opened at Cairo’s Zamalek Cinema.

The opening ceremony was attended by Mao Yu, Deputy Executive Director of the China Film Administration; Ahmed Saleh, Director of the Egyptian National Film Center; Zhang Xuxia, Head of the China Film Archive; Zhang Yi, Cultural Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Egypt and Director of the Cairo Chinese Cultural Center; as well as Da Peng, director and lead actor of The Lychee Road, among other distinguished guests.

Next year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Egypt. In his opening remarks, Mao Yu expressed his pleasure in holding the Chinese Film Week at this meaningful moment, and engaging in broad exchanges with the Egyptian film community. He noted that China’s film market remains open and inclusive, and encouraged closer cooperation between the two film industries, including the mutual introduction of each other’s films.

In his speech, Ahmed Saleh remarked that the Chinese Film Week is an important part of cultural exchange between Egypt and China. He expressed hope that the two sides will further deepen cooperation in areas such as film production and distribution, and continue to expand cinematic exchanges.

Later that day, nearly 400 guests and audience members from both China and Egypt gathered for the screening of the opening film The Lychee Road. After the screening, the film’s director and lead actor Da Peng took part in a lively Q&A session with the local audience.

At the opening ceremony, young filmmakers from China and Egypt came on stage together to recite the ‘China–Egypt Covenant of Cinema’ in both Chinese and Arabic.

The film week will run until December 13, during which audiences will enjoy six outstanding Chinese films, including The Lychee Road, Dead To Rights, I Am What I Am 2, The Shadow's Edge, The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru, and Panda Plan.

The 2025 Chinese Film Week is hosted by the China Film Administration and the Chinese Embassy in Egypt, organized by the China Film Archive and the Cairo Chinese Cultural Center, and executed by Suzhou Ourei Cultural Group Co., Ltd., with strong support from the Egyptian Film Commission and China UnionPay.

(Translated by Luo Desai)