Samir Farid Samir Farid: Legendary critic The Berlinale Camera Award will be given to film critic Samir Farid next week at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival. The Berlin International Film Festival has presented the Berlinale Camera to film figures or institutions to which it feels particularly indebted and wishes to express its thanks ever since 1986. Farid is an expert on cinema and one of the film critics whose advice and opinions are in demand worldwide. He was born in 1943. He studied at the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts at the Academy of Arts in Cairo. He began his career as a critic at the Egyptian daily newspaper Al-Gomhouriya in 1965. He worked there for 38 years. He took part in establishing important festivals throughout his career, like the National Festival of Short and Documentary Films (1970), the National Festival of Feature Films (1971) as well as the Egyptian Film Critics Association (1972). Since the early 1970s, Farid has also been a member of the International Federation of Film Critics. He was also a correspondent for the trade magazine Variety during the 1980s. Farid is the author and translator of over 60 books on Arab and world cinema including Cinema 65 in 1966, American Films in the Arab World in 1967, The October War in Film in 1975, The Identity of Arab Cinema in 1988, New Realism in Egyptian Cinema in 1992 and Stars and Legends in Egyptian Cinema in 2000. He received the Cannes Film Festival Gold Medal in both 1997 and 2000 for his achievement in cinema, as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Osian's-Cinefan Festival in New Delhi in 2012 and at the Dubai International Film Festival in 2013. He has been the consultant for film affairs at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina since 2001. “There are various things in Egypt that can drive you crazy. Students die in a bus accident; nevertheless, huge vehicles with trailers are allowed in the streets while children are going to school although there is a law that prevents them from being there. This generation is used to the idea that young people die on a daily basis. The reasons for their death are various; however, the end is the same. The responsibility for this lies with a government that does not possess the required tools and the people who have not been prepared by consecutive governments to stand up to the challenges they face. Our problems have become so complicated that those expected to solve them have become part of the problem.” Moataz Bellah Abdel-Fattah, Al-Watan The azan [Muslims' call for prayer] in churches in the US A civilised phenomenon “The recent phenomenon of hearing the azan [Muslims' call for prayer] in churches in the US and Israel reflects civilised manners on the ethical, religious and humane levels. The minds of most Americans dealt with the mosque and the church as places of worship. However, I believe that the media and the official statements should have cast more light on that phenomenon. I wish it could be the subject of Friday sermons in the mosques instead of high prices and other issues.” Abdel-Nasser Salama, Al-Masry Al-Youm The Chinese loan Go for the local alternative “I appeal to President Al-Sisi not to sign the Chinese loan earmarked for the electric train from Al-Salam City to Al-Aasher City until he requests an implementation plan for the same project using local resources only. The value of the loan is nearly LE30 billion, whereas, implementing the project using local resources will save us some LE500 million. So which option is better? Do not sign the loan, Mr President; the local alternative is available and ready.” Suleiman Gouda, Al-Masry Al-Youm The medicine crisis: "Dad, can you please try to remember where you put the diarrhoea medicine before your death?" - Abdallah, Al-Masry Al-Youm Permanent joy “The joy of Egyptians in the achievements of the national team at the Africa Cup of Nations is reflected on social networks and in their tumultuous celebrations in the streets especially after their matches against Morocco and Burkina Faso. However, this is a temporary joy that will last for few hours or a few days at the most, as sociologists say. We should think of a way to give Egyptians permanent joy. The experiences of world countries show that permanent joy can be realised via development, participation, joint work among people and justice in distributing the fruits of development. That would guarantee that Egyptians will live in permanent joy rather than temporary joy that is linked to an incident.” Sameh Fawzi, Al-Ahram
“The Burkino Faso team was clearly more skilled than our team on the individual as well as the group levels. Nevertheless, our team saw that difference and fought with steadfastness, united to face the strong attack of the other team. I realised then the similarity between that match and the realities that the country is facing as a result of the countries that attack Egypt and want to see it defeated politically, militarily and economically. So, will the people be as responsible as the national team in steadfastly facing that attack? Will the government be capable of analysing the present economic situation and face monopolies and high prices? Will officials feel for the suffering of the people?” Michael Morgan, Al-Youm Al-Sabei Facebook “I have the following remarks re the Faculty of Pharmacology accident: negligence is a way of life; the state has neither the time nor the ability to assume its role of supervision; Egyptians hear about major catastrophes on a daily basis; people wail and complain after every incident, but then they forget.” Nour Farahat
“The French story about the Egyptian who tried to attack a guard in front of the Louvre is difficult to accept as true. I believe that the French police exaggerated it by using force before it double-checked. My hunch is that that Egyptian is unjustly accused.” Fathy Alhosary Twitter Brian Klaas @brianklaas When a Muslim attacks and nobody is injured, Trump is outraged. When a white supremacist kills 6 Muslims & wounds dozens in Canada... silence. Shaun King @ShaunKing Donald Trump & the White House have now talked more about the fake Bowling Green Massacre than the bigot who murdered 6 Muslims this weekend. David Orasa @Dorasa Cameroon are African Cup of Nation champion once again. Beating lucky Egypt 2-1. Madbouli Egyptian Essence: 21 new highways “The Minister of Housing Mustafa Madbouli looked at new projects including establishing highways to the value of LE13.6 billion and development and service projects in Sinai to the value of LE938 million.” Al-Akhbar
