All fish, flesh and fowl appeared at the 17th Alexandria Film Festival. Nor was that all. Mohamed El-Assyouti tracked down jury head Jaya Bachchan, and spoke with director François Gérard about bargain basement filmmaking

Indian wisdom
Actress Jaya Bachchan, wife of India's leading film star Amitabh Bachchan, headed the Alexandria Film Festival jury this year

'You can do anything'
When a Hollywood production can cost anything up to $200 million, films continue to be made throughout the world on shoe-string budgets. François Gérard's Meet the Baltringues, entered in the international competition of Alexandria Film Festival, is one such. It cost $20,000

An unlikely menagerie
The Alexandria Film Festival closes with few surprises. Unlike the ostrich, though, Mohamed El- Assyouti did not keep his head in the sand.

Plain talk
By Mursi Saad El-Din

Off the record
Nehad Selaiha gives an inside view of CIFET 2001

Nothing like a monster
David Blake hears three in a row

Culture Briefs

Plays and prizes In the ring Swan song Cadences on offer