Since the opening of MIFF call for entries the festival office based in Paris has received over then 120 films and application forms.  The festival director, Hisham Abdel Khalek, announces the first of the 20 films admitted in the main section of the official competition. The films are: The Israeli film “Sweet Mud” directed by Dror Shaul which is repsented in Sundance Film Festival as well as Berlin International Film Festival, the second-biggest pic at the box office and Israel's official representative at the Oscars, looks at life on a 1970s Israeli kibbutz. The first Saudi feature film Kief El Hal “How are you?”directed by Izidaore Musallam and produced by the leading TV and Cinema production middle east group “Rotana Audiovisual”. The film speaks about the recent life in Saudi Arabia and the relation between the Islamic fundamentalists and the society.  The first Egyptian big-budget musical extravaganza since the 60’s Mafish Gheir Keda “None But That !” directed by Khaled El Hagar. Mafish Gheir Keda has a star-studded cast crossing at least three different generations. Topping the bill is box office sensation Nabila Ebeid, returning to the silver screen after a three-year hiatus following her starring role in Qasaqis El-Oshaq (Lovers’ Snippets). The rest of the cast includes superstar Khaled Abul Naga, Rola Mahmoud and Arwa, not to mention easily the most influential figure in local contemporary mainstream music, Mohammed Mounir. 

More films from France, Iran, Germany, Italy and other countries are being negotiated to participate in the official competition.