Shadi Abdel Salam (1930–1986)   CAIRO ~ Though Martin Scorsese had to cancel his visit to Egypt at the last moment, his presence was strongly felt at the Cairo International Film Festival here on Wednesday night when the classic version of The Mummy was screened. If it hadn't been for Scorsese this Egyptian classic might have just crumbled into obscurity, as has much of this country's history But as the result of financial support from the Martrin Scorsese...

The SILVERDOCS International Film Festival, which is entering its final weekend, is by most accounts a very sober affair. After all, many of the films are about challenging subjects of human rights abuse, political exploitation, ecological ruin and the inhumanity of men and their regimes. But the programmers of the event have made sure to season this sober brew with some films whose premises are a bit "out there". However, instead of simply being comic relief for what is mostly a rather serious ...