First cinema festival in Bahrain to open on Saturday

The first session of Bahrain's international cinema festival is to start on Saturday and last until the end of the current month with the participation of 20 films from all over the Arab states, as the festival will specify activities to support the Arab cinema.

14 films from Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Morocco, Algeria, and Mauritania are competing in the official competition of the festival, which presented financial prizes worth $72,000 in addition to symbolic presents.

Khalifa Shahin, a Bahraini director, heads the arbitration committee which includes members from Lebanon, Egypt, Iran, India, and Morocco, while Algerian director Ahmed Rashidi, Palestinian Michael Khalifi and Egyptian actress Yosra will be honored in the festival.