Egyptian actress Mona Zaki and the Egyptian Film Syndicate have announced that the film Flight 404 will be Egypt’s official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2025 Academy Awards. Directed by Hani Khalifa and written by Mohamed Ragaa, the film stars Zaki alongside, Mohamed Farag, Mohamed Mamdouh, and Shereen Reda.
Flight 404
Flight 404 tells the story of Ghada, a woman facing an urgent financial crisis just before embarking on the sacred Hajj pilgrimage. Forced to confront her past, Ghada turns to individuals she had once pledged to leave behind, creating a tense and emotional narrative.
By being chosen as Egypt’s official submission, Flight 404 will now enter the competition for the Academy Awards’ shortlist. If the film makes it through to the shortlist, it could be nominated for the prestigious Best International Feature Film award, offering a major breakthrough for Egyptian cinema. The 97th edition of the Academy Awards is scheduled to take place on March 3, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, where the world will be watching to see if Egypt’s submission makes the final cut.
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The key dates for 2025 Academy Awards submissions have already been announced, with the deadline for general entries and Best Picture submissions set for November 14. Shortlist voting for ten categories, including Best International Feature Film, will occur between December 9-13, with the results being announced on December 17. The final nominations voting period will run from January 8-12, and the official nominations will be revealed on January 17.
Egypt has competed in the Best International Feature Film competition for a long time, but it has never taken home the trophy. Voy Voy Voy!, a movie starring Mohamed Farag, was Egypt’s official submission last year. Despite not making it to the final nominees, the movie was a part of a larger wave of Arab films that were becoming increasingly prominent globally.
Flight 404 now carries Egypt’s hopes for an Academy Award nomination in 2025, continuing the region’s growing presence in international cinema.
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