Cairo:The first feature film "To the Sun and Beyond" by Tunisian director Aziz Shennawy has been selected for the Horizons of Arab Cinema Competition at the 47th Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF).

According to Agence Tunis Afrique Presse – English, the film is a collaborative production between Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, supported by the Tunisian production company Genuine For Films and Entertainment. It has also received backing from the Saudi Red Sea Fund, the National Centre for Cinema and the Image (CNCI), and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

The drama centers on Linda, a widow who is overly protective of her seven-year-old son, who has xeroderma pigmentosum—a genetic condition that causes extreme sensitivity to ultraviolet rays. Through the course of the film, Linda learns that her role as a mother also involves helping her son embrace life despite the challenges of his condition.

Tunisian contributions to the festival are further highlighted by the new "Cairo Kids" competition, aimed at young audiences. This section features the animated short film "Sociophobia" by Malek Hebiri, which is supported by the Doha Film Institute.

This year's festival program, marking the 50th anniversary of the event's inception in 1976, was announced during a press conference in Cairo. It features 145 films from around the world, including 109 fiction features, 17 documentaries, and 29 shorts. These films will be showcased from November 11 to 20, with 17 world premieres, five international premieres, and 87 MENA premieres.