Egypt's Minister of Culture Farouq Hosni and his Spanish counterpart Cesar Antonio Molina on Tuesday18/11/2008 opened the 32nd Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF).

The Spanish cinema is the guest of honor of this year's CIFF.

The festival honored four Egyptians; veterans actor Mahmoud Yassin, actress Boussy, Director of Photography Tarek el-Telemessany and set designer Nihad Bahgat.

The opening ceremony was attended by a number renowned international cinema stars including British actress Julia Armond.

President of the festival, actor Ezzat Abou-Ouf, welcomed the guests in general and the Spanish cinema representatives in particular.

Fifty-nine world nations represented by 150 movies, including 22 movies from nine Arab countries, will take part in the event. Egypt is participating with nine movies.

The nine Arab countries participating in the event are Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, Bahrain in addition to host Egypt.

The festival will honor a number of Hollywood stars, including Kurt Russell, Denzel Washington, Charlize Theron, and Alicia Silverstone.

Theron won an Oscar for Best Actress in her role in Monster (2003).

US movie celebrities attending the festival include Director Stuwart Townsend, US actor Martin Henderson and British actress Julia Armond.

Add to the star-studded list Susan Sarandon who won an Oscar for best actress in Dead Man Walking (1995), Goldie Hawn who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Cactus Flower (1969) and Mira Sorvino who won Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Mighty Aphrodite (1995).

The opening was also attended by famous actresses from Spain. They include Angela Molina, Maria Asikis, Marian A'lvarez, Elvira Minguez and Mariola Fuentes.

Twenty-two new Spanish movies will be shown during the event including two to be held within the main contest.