Independent Shabab Foundation (ISF) is a non-profit organization registered at the Ministry of Social Solidarity and active since 2010 in several Fields
1- Organizing art workshop to develop the skills of artists and writers, and develop talents
2- Establishing a space for performing arts (theater, cinema, fine art, and seminars) and a library
3- Working to spread and develop theater performances and cinema screenings
4- local and international festivals
5- Preparing and producing theater performances and films
6- Establishing private institutes, colleges or schools, after approval of related authorities
7- Extending the activities of ISF to Egyptian governorates, to spread our aims
8- Supporting and documenting independent art and artists, and providing artists with protection against occupational hazards
9- Publishing materials that serve the objectives of the foundation and usage of internet
10- Establishing the service of cultural club to present arts to the people of neighborhood
11- spaces for art performances and seminars in Egypt
12- Establishing all needed connections for cooperation with the institutions that work in similar fields or activities locally or internationally
The Luxor African Film Festival (LAFF) is one of ISF’s projects. It was the writer Sayed Fouad’s and director Azza Elhosseiny's idea, as the African films are almost not screened in Egypt. Furthermore, Luxor hardly has any cultural or artistic events, and was therefore selected to de-centralize cultural or artistic events always organized in Cairo and Alexandria.
For the first time in Egypt , an NGO organizes an event with such grand caliber and high standards. Independent Shabab Foundation (ISF) which organizes LAFF is a non-profit entity. The success of ISF is the result of the sound artistic accomplishment and skills of its founders as cultural activists who believe in the necessity and importance of communicating with the world in general and with Africa in particular. It is also built on the capacity of its Board of trustees in representing Egypt in local and international activities.
ISF started working on the festival since mid 2010 and the fruits of our efforts resulted in numerous partnerships ranging from the Ministry of Culture in Egypt to International networks.
Results achieved:
The Luxor Film Festival has had a number of targeted results, and a number of it has been achieved:
1 - About 110 young filmmakers from 37 different African countries have been trained on how to produce a short film under a low-cost budget mentored by award winning Ethiopian director Haile Grima
2 - About 75 short films were completed in the previous workshop, all of which were filmed in Luxor.
3 - A 75-minute documentary was produced under the supervising of the Egyptian director Khairy Bishara.
4 - Artistic workshops were held in the fields of cinema in Mauritania - Sudan - Burundi - Morocco accompanied by Egyptian film weeks
5 - The Luxor African film Festival is targeted by filmmakers in African countries for participation and interaction.
6 - «Etisal» film fund established to support the African film in 2013. Eight short feature films and a number of long documentaries were produced & 2 long features were developed all from 16 different African countries.
7 - Contribution to make Luxor city a cultural / touristic destination in all relevant forums.
8 - Creating partnerships and cooperation protocols with a large number of African festivals reaching 28 festivals inside and outside the continent.
9 - The establishment of 3 cinema clubs for African cinema in Cairo, Alexandria and Luxor in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture.
