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Mark Lotfy | |
|---|---|
 Lotfy in 2019 | |
| Occupations | Artist, film producer, film director and writer |
Mark Lotfy is an Egyptian multidisciplinary artist,[1] film producer, film director[2] and writer.[3] His work in cinema spans documentary and fiction films in both short and feature-length formats.[2][4][5] His artistic practice includes experimental film, video installation and multimedia performance.[1][6] In 2005, he co-founded Fig Leaf Studios, an independent film production company based in Alexandria, Egypt.[4] His producing credits include, among others, Souad, I Am Afraid to Forget Your Face, The Mother of All Lies, The Unnamed and Khufu.[4][5][7][8][9]
Artistic practice
[edit]Lotfy has worked across experimental film, video installation and multimedia performance. He participated in independent and interdisciplinary arts study programmes, including MASS Alexandria's studio and study programme in 2012, where he presented A dialogue with a man named 'successful', a multi-channel video installation,[1] and Ashkal Alwan's Home Workspace Program in Beirut in 2016–17.[10]
In 2018, Lotfy participated in the 12th Gwangju Biennale, where he presented Route to Dangerous Profiles.[11][12]
In 2021, he collaborated with Noor Abed on Yours Truly, a multimedia lecture-performance developed from research into private United States military involvement in the Middle East and the effects of the war industry on individual lives.[6]
In 2022, he was selected for the Caravan Residency Program: Thinking with Alexandria, a year-long, multi-city residency examining urban, infrastructural and social processes through Alexandria and other European and Mediterranean cities.[13]
Writing
[edit]Lotfy has published essays and other writing in Jadaliyya, Al Manassa and Rehla. In 2012, he co-authored the article "E-Militias of the Muslim Brotherhood: How to Upload Ideology on Facebook" with Linda Herrera for Jadaliyya.[3]
In 2020, he published the Arabic-language essay "I Have an Urgent Desire to Talk About the Bat Now" in Al Manassa.[14] Lotfy has also contributed Arabic-language essays to the magazine Rehla, including "Toward the Alienation of Alienation",[15] "Insalioun",[16] "The Barrier Between the Inside and the Outside"[17] and "Alone".[18]
In 2024, he contributed the chapter "Being Omar Sharif: A Cinematographic Excavation of a Star" to the book Transnational Arab Stardom: Glamour, Performance and Politics, published by Bloomsbury Academic.[19]
Film career
[edit]In 2012, Lotfy directed, wrote and produced the experimental short film Do As You Said. The film was presented at the seventh Cairo Video Festival in 2015 and was discussed by Mada Masr in relation to experimental filmmaking and the relationship between images and reality.[20][21][22]
In 2013, Screen Daily profiled Lotfy and Fig Leaf Studios as part of its coverage of Alexandria's independent film scene.[23] That year, he served as executive producer of The Mice Room, an independent Alexandrian anthology consisting of six stories directed by six filmmakers. The film premiered at the Dubai International Film Festival in December 2013.[24][25]
In 2017, Lotfy produced I Have a Picture, directed by Mohamed Zedan. The film had its world premiere at the inaugural El Gouna Film Festival and won the El Gouna Star for Best Arab Documentary Film.[26] That year, he was also one of the producers of the documentary film One Plus One Makes a Pharaoh's Chocolate Cake, directed by Marouan Omara in collaboration with Islam Kamal. The film screened in the Forum Expanded programme at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival.[27][28]
In 2018, Lotfy was one of the producers of the documentary Dream Away, directed by Marouan Omara and Johanna Domke. The film had its world premiere in the Documentary Films Competition at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and later received the Critics' Choice Award at the 2019 Fribourg International Film Festival.[29][30][31]
In 2019, Lotfy co-directed the documentary short film One Night Stand with Palestinian artist Noor Abed and was one of its producers. The film is based on a recorded encounter in Beirut in 2017 and had its world premiere at the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival.[32][2]
In 2020, Lotfy co-produced Souad, a feature film directed by Ayten Amin. Fig Leaf Studios helped facilitate filming in Alexandria and Zagazig. The film was part of the 2020 Cannes Film Festival Official Selection and later screened at the 2021 Berlin International Film Festival.[4][33] That year, he was also one of the producers of the short film I Am Afraid to Forget Your Face, directed by Sameh Alaa. The film won the Short Film Palme d'Or unanimously during the Cannes 2020 Special, becoming the first Egyptian film to receive the award.[5][34]
In 2021, Lotfy served as a consulting producer on the documentary Captains of Zaatari, directed by Ali El Arabi. The film had its world premiere in the World Documentary Competition at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival.[35][36]
In 2023, Lotfy co-produced the documentary The Mother of All Lies, directed by Asmae El Moudir, through Fig Leaf Studios. The film screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, where El Moudir received the Best Directing prize in Un Certain Regard. The film also shared the L'Œil d'or for best documentary.[7][37]
In 2024, Lotfy co-produced Sukoun, released internationally as Amplified, a short film directed by Dina Naser. The film screened in the Generation Kplus section of the 2024 Berlin International Film Festival, where it received a special mention from the Generation Kplus Children's Jury.[38] He also worked as the film and theatre producer and as an editor on Wael Shawky's musical film Drama 1882, which was created for the Egyptian Pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale and later screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.[39][40][41]
In 2025, Lotfy was one of the producers of The Unnamed, a short film directed by Abanoub Nabil. The film had its world premiere in the Short Film Competition at the 46th Cairo International Film Festival.[8][42] In 2026, it was selected for the Egyptian Film Competition at the 12th Alexandria Short Film Festival[43] and for the 22nd HollyShorts Film Festival.[44] Also in 2025, Lotfy co-wrote and was one of the producers of the short film The Last Miracle, directed by Abdelwahab Shawky and selected for the same Cairo competition.[45]
In 2026, Lotfy co-produced Khufu, a short film directed by Mahmoud Assi. The film won the first edition of the Eish Short Film Competition and was selected for the Pardi di Domani International Competition at the 79th Locarno Film Festival,[46] where it is scheduled to have its world premiere in August 2026.[9][47]
Teaching
[edit]Lotfy co-established Cinedelta, an independent documentary film school. The project was launched in 2016 through a collaboration between Fig Leaf Studios and the Italian organisation Ricerca e Cooperazione, providing workshops, lectures, master classes and production training for emerging documentary filmmakers from Egypt's Nile Delta region.[48][49]
In 2024, Lotfy took part in a Cairo Film Factory discussion about selecting film ideas, low-budget production, collective filmmaking and independent film practice.[50]
Selected filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Do As You Said | Director, producer and screenwriter[20] |
| 2013 | The Mice Room | Executive producer[25] |
| 2017 | I Have a Picture | Producer[26] |
| 2017 | One Plus One Makes a Pharaoh's Chocolate Cake | Producer[27] |
| 2018 | Dream Away | Producer[29] |
| 2019 | One Night Stand | Co-director and co-producer[2] |
| 2020 | Souad | Co-producer[4] |
| 2020 | I Am Afraid to Forget Your Face | Producer[5] |
| 2021 | Captains of Zaatari | Consulting producer[35] |
| 2023 | The Mother of All Lies | Co-producer[7] |
| 2024 | Sukoun (Amplified) | Co-producer[38] |
| 2024 | Drama 1882 | Film and theatre producer; editor[40] |
| 2025 | The Unnamed | Producer[8] |
| 2025 | The Last Miracle | Co-screenwriter and producer[45] |
| 2026 | Khufu | Co-producer[9] |
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "Mark Lotfy". Universes in Universe. 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "One Night Stand". Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
- 1 2 Herrera, Linda; Lotfy, Mark (5 September 2012). "E-Militias of the Muslim Brotherhood: How to Upload Ideology on Facebook". Jadaliyya. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Nasr, Nahed (23 June 2020). "All about 'Souad': On Egyptian film in official selection of Cannes Film Festival's cancelled edition". Al-Ahram Weekly. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Omar, Eslam (2 October 2020). "Egyptian director Sameh Alaa's short film I Am Afraid to Forget Your Face to compete at Russian, Belgian festivals". Ahram Online. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
- 1 2 "Double Bill: Exquisite Corpse / Yours Truly [work in progress]". Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm. 3 September 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 "The Mother of All Lies". International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 "The Unnamed". Cairo International Film Festival. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Egyptian Short 'Khufu' Selected for Locarno Film Fest". SceneNow. 1 July 2026. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ "Home Workspace Program 2016–17". Ashkal Alwan. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- ↑ "12th Biennale (2018)". Gwangju Biennale. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- ↑ "Gwangju Biennale 2018 catalogue" (PDF). Asia Art Archive. 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- ↑ "Caravan Residency Program: Thinking with Alexandria". UNIDEE Residency Programs. 30 September 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- ↑ Lotfy, Mark (23 April 2020). لدي رغبة مُلِحة في الحديث عن الخفاش الآن [I Have an Urgent Desire to Talk About the Bat Now]. Al Manassa (in Arabic). Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- ↑ Lotfy, Mark. نحو إغتراب الإغتراب [Toward the Alienation of Alienation]. Rehla (in Arabic). Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- ↑ Lotfy, Mark. إنساليّون [Insalioun]. Rehla (in Arabic). Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- ↑ Lotfy, Mark. الحاجز بين الداخل والخارج [The Barrier Between the Inside and the Outside]. Rehla (in Arabic). Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- ↑ Lotfy, Mark. وحدك [Alone]. Rehla (in Arabic). Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- ↑ Lotfy, Mark (2024). "Being Omar Sharif: A Cinematographic Excavation of a Star". In Hayon, Kaya Davies; Van de Peer, Stefanie (eds.). Transnational Arab Stardom: Glamour, Performance and Politics. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 9781501393228.
- 1 2 "Malmö Arab Film Festival 2013 Catalogue" (PDF). Malmö Arab Film Festival. 2013. p. 66. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ "7th Cairo Video Festival Programme" (PDF). Medrar for Contemporary Art. 2015. p. 3. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ El Safoury, Nour (19 December 2015). "FestBeat: Ahmed Shawky's The Crime premieres at Cairo Video Festival". Mada Masr. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ Goodfellow, Melanie (10 December 2013). "Indie generation plans to make Alexandria great". Screen Daily. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- ↑ "Film Review: 'The Mice Room'". Variety. 15 January 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
- 1 2 Elsirgany, Soha (12 September 2015). "The Mice Room: When experimental narratives make it to the ticket booth". Ahram Online. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
- 1 2 Nasr, Nahed (4 October 2017). "Q&A: Crew of I Have a Picture, El-Gouna Star winner, talk about filmmaking process". Ahram Online. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
- 1 2 "One Plus One Makes a Pharaoh's Chocolate Cake". Berlinale Talents. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- ↑ Abdel-Halim, Amina (8 February 2017). "Bound for the Berlinale: On Egyptian director Marouan Omara's works, artistic vision, plans". Ahram Online. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- 1 2 "Dream Away". Berlinale Talents. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
- ↑ "Dream Away". Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
- ↑ "Award Winners FIFF 2019". Fribourg International Film Festival. 23 March 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
- ↑ "Egyptian film 'One Night Stand' to be screened at the Louvre Museum". Egypt Independent. 22 February 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
- ↑ "Souad". Berlin International Film Festival. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
- ↑ "Closing of the Cannes 2020 Special – I'm Afraid to Forget Your Face by Sameh Alaa, Palme d'or for Short Films". Festival de Cannes. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
- 1 2 "Captains of Zaatari Premieres at El Gouna Film Festival". UNHCR Egypt. 16 October 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
- ↑ "2021 Sundance Film Festival Announces Additional Films". Sundance Institute. 12 January 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
- ↑ "The 76th Festival de Cannes winners' list". Festival de Cannes. 27 May 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
- 1 2 "Sukoun". Berlin International Film Festival. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
- ↑ "Egypt – Drama 1882". La Biennale di Venezia. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
- 1 2 "Drama 1882". Kunstenfestivaldesarts. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
- ↑ "Drama 1882". Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
- ↑ Allam, Anas (18 November 2025). اليوم العرض العالمى الأول لفيلم «اللى مايتسماش» فى مهرجان القاهرة السينمائى الدولي. Al-Masry Al-Youm (in Arabic). Retrieved 15 July 2026.
- ↑ "Alexandria Short Film Festival launches new competition for Egyptian films". Ahram Online. 15 April 2026. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
- ↑ "HollyShorts 2026: The Official Selections Are Here". HollyShorts Film Festival. 2026. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
- 1 2 "The Last Miracle". Cairo International Film Festival. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
- ↑ "Khufu". Locarno Film Festival. 2026. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
- ↑ "Khufu selected for Locarno Film Festival after winning short film competition supported by WFP". World Food Programme. 8 July 2026. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
- ↑ "Red Sea Souk: Book of Projects 2023" (PDF). Red Sea International Film Festival. 2023. p. 100. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ Khaled, Rana (5 February 2017). "Cinedelta: a step towards reviving the documentary film industry in Egypt". Daily News Egypt. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ Aboul-Ela, Elwy (20 August 2024). مارك لطفي في كايرو فيلم فاكتوري: الميزانية المحدودة تحرر صانع الأفلام المستقلة. Al-Masry Al-Youm (in Arabic). Retrieved 18 July 2026.
External links
[edit]- Mark Lotfy at IMDb