Cairo Film Connection Projects Continue Global Success: “Revolutionaries Never Die” Set to Compete at Locarno Film Festival 2026

The Locarno International Film Festival has announced the selection of the Palestinian documentary “Revolutionaries Never Die”, directed by Mohanad Yaqubi, to compete in the Concorso Cineasti del Presente (Filmmakers of the Present) competition at its 79th edition in Switzerland this upcoming August.

This international achievement underscores the continuous success of projects supported by the Cairo Film Connection (CFC), the co-production platform of the Cairo International Film Festival. It marks the second Arab film to emerge from CFC’s 11th edition last year and successfully pave its way to major global film platforms within just a few months of 2026. This follows the international success of “The Day of Wrath: Tales from Tripoli”, an experimental-documentary by Lebanese director Rania Rafei. A co-production between Palestine, Belgium, and Qatar, Rafei’s film celebrated its world premiere at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year.

“Revolutionaries Never Die” is a cinematic and archival dialogue celebrating the creative legacy of the late Lebanese filmmaker Jocelyne Saab, tracing 16 of her films documenting Arab revolutions and struggles between 1973 and 1983. Produced by Sami Said and Rita Maria Habib, the film gained significant momentum after winning the Grand Prize for Best Project in Post-Production at the latest edition of the Cairo Film Connection, alongside a special mentorship award from Rough Cut Lab Africa (RCLA). This prestigious festival selection coincides with the announcement of the film’s international sales and distribution deals, opening broad horizons for global audiences and prominent international platforms.

Commenting on this achievement, film critic Mohamed Sayed Abdel Rahim, Director of Cairo Industry Days, stated: “The selection of ‘Revolutionaries Never Die’ in the official competition of the Locarno Film Festival, coming just months after ‘The Day of Wrath’ at the Berlinale, is a renewed international testament to the artistic value of the films championed by the Cairo Film Connection. We do not merely offer financial and in-kind support; our goal is to serve as a definitive platform that propels innovative and bold Arab voices to the forefront of the global cinema landscape. Mohanad Yaqubi’s film is a unique example of reinterpreting archival material and Arab identity visually, and we are proud to be part of its journey.”

The Cairo Film Connection is a professional platform dedicated to supporting feature narrative and documentary projects from the Arab world in development and post-production phases. Since its inception in 2010, CFC has held 11 editions, making it the oldest active co-production platform in the Arab world. Throughout its history, the platform has selected 169 projects from 15 Arab countries, 60 of which successfully launched at major international film festivals. Over its journey, CFC has supported 62 documentary projects, including acclaimed works such as Kaouther Ben Hania’s “Four Daughters”, Namir Abdel Messeeh’s “The Virgin, the Copts and Me”, Hind Meddeb’s “Sudan, Remember Us”, Lina Soualem’s “Bye Bye Tiberias”, and Myriam El Hajj’s “Diaries from Lebanon”.

About Cairo International Film Festival

The Cairo International Film Festival is an annual event held under the auspices of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. It is considered one of the oldest and most prestigious film festivals in the Arab world and Africa. It holds the distinction of being the only festival in the region registered under Category “A” by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF). The festival serves as a primary platform for supporting and evaluating the global film industry, providing a vital space for cultural exchange and the sharing of cinematic expertise.