The Egyptian production "For the Heaven, Icarus," directed by Ahmed Ezzat El-Alfi, won the Best Theatrical Performance Award at the 30th Cairo International Experimental Theatre Festival, which concluded today, Friday, with a ceremony held at the main stage of the Egyptian Opera House. The cast includes Mustafa El-Banna and Khaled Raef. The play addresses the complex relationship between parents and children, inspired by the famous Greek myth of the young Icarus who lived in a vast labyrinth with his father, the artist and engineer Daedalus.
Khaled Raef also won the Best Actor award, while the Best Actress award went to Asmaa El-Sheikh for her role in the Algerian play "Nostalgia." The Georgian production "Othello" received the Best Director award. The Iraqi show "File 12" won the Scenography award, and the Congolese production "Nitchi Badiri" was awarded for Best Text.
The jury, chaired by Egyptian theatre director Essam El-Sayed, awarded certificates of appreciation to three productions: "Antigone" from Lithuania, "File 12" from Iraq, and "The Man Who Was Eaten by Paper" from Egypt. The festival, which began on September 1, presented 19 performances over the week, along with several training workshops and seminars, and launched six publications encompassing translations and research in theatre and its arts.
