Khufu short film on food security wins silver leopard award at Locarno

The award brings international recognition to a locally rooted story about food security, livelihoods and resilience, and highlights the role cinema can play in connecting vulnerable communities with global conversations on hunger and dignity.

Directed by Mahmoud Assi and produced by Zest and Fig Leaf Studios, Khufu was developed with support from WFP through the “Eish” Short Film Competition, an initiative launched to amplify emerging voices and stories on food security across Egypt and the Arab region.

“Khufu winning at Locarno is a remarkable achievement, not only for the film and its creators, but for the idea behind Eish itself,” said Rawad Halabi, WFP Representative and Country Director in Egypt. “For WFP, this initiative opened a new space for advocacy, where cinema becomes a bridge between the lived realities of vulnerable communities and the global conversations we need to have around food security. To see a film supported through the first edition of Eish reach this level of international recognition is deeply encouraging. As Eish continues to grow, we look forward to expanding this platform as a vehicle for powerful advocacy and engaging new creative voices in the process.”

Set in Nazlet El-Semman, in the shadow of the Giza Pyramids, Khufu follows Sayed, a 14-year-old boy navigating the pressures of family expectations while confronting the fragile economic reality tied to his family’s only source of income. As the family’s livelihood depends on an ailing camel, the story explores the difficult choices faced by communities living on the edge of economic vulnerability.

“Eish began as an idea about what happens when emerging filmmakers are invited to explore food security through cinema,” said Mohamed Hany, CEO and Co-Founder of Zest. “We are proud to be part of this initiative with WFP and our partners, and to have led its technical arm, from the competition process through production. Khufu winning at Locarno proves the strength of this model and the power of storytelling to create impact.”

The Arabic word “Eish” (عيش) means both bread and life, reflecting the connection between food, dignity and survival. Through the competition, WFP and its partners use cinema as a platform to raise awareness of food security challenges and encourage dialogue around sustainable solutions.

“Khufu is the first short film recognized at El Gouna Film Festival to be selected for Locarno’s Pardi di Domani competition, and for it to go on to win the Silver Leopard Award marks the achievement of two milestones,” said Amr Mansi, Executive Director and Co-Founder of El Gouna Film Festival. “We are proud to be part of this initiative with WFP and Zest, which strongly aligns with the festival’s ‘Cinema for Humanity’ purpose and its commitment to supporting films that create dialogue and social impact in Egypt.”

Now in its third edition, the “Eish” Short Film Competition continues to expand its reach, supporting emerging filmmakers and fostering compelling narratives that bring food security to wider audiences across the Arab region.