The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) has appointed Egyptian film critic Ahmed Shawky as the President of the Critics Jury for the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, scheduled from February 13 to 23, 2025.

Shawky will lead FIPRESCI’s largest annual jury, comprising 12 international critics responsible for assessing films across various festival sections. In addition to overseeing this panel, he will also serve on the international competition jury alongside critics Maja Korbecka from Poland and Francisca Romero Pezoa from Chile.

A notable figure in the film industry, Shawky has previously held the position of artistic director at the Cairo International Film Festival and has contributed significantly to major film publications. His extensive experience as a writer, researcher, and festival programmer has been instrumental in shaping contemporary film discourse in the region.

His background includes programming for film festivals such as Cairo, Malmo, and Mumbai. Furthermore, he has served as a jury member at numerous international festivals, including Locarno, Shanghai, Eurasia, Transylvania, Macao, Sofia, Oran, and Taipei. In 2022, he presided over the FIPRESCI Jury at the Cannes Film Festival.

Beyond his festival involvement, Shawky has authored eight books on Egyptian cinema and collaborated with various film festivals, including El Gouna, Cairo, and Malmo. He also serves as the Middle East Head of Development for the VIU streaming platform and regularly publishes articles on cinema and the entertainment industry.