Cairo International Film Festival underway

The Arab world's biggest movie stars were joined by some big names from Hollywood for the gala opening of the 33rd Cairo International Film Festival.

Actors Samuel L. Jackson, Lucy Liu, and Salma Hayek were among the American stars on hand for the opening Tuesday night. The Cairo festival showcases some of the region's top talent. Fifty one countries have entered films in the competition. But there are no Egyptian films up for consideration as the organizers wanted to make sure films are not entered only because they are locally produced.

Egyptian director Shadi Abdel Salam's 1969 landmark film Night of Counting the Years, or The Mummy, which has been newly restored, opened the festival. The 33rd Cairo International Film Festival will run until November the 20th