Tips from the culture desk: Thousands of books, dramatic choral music and more

This week, our arts recommendations can easily keep you busy, from Cairo's biggest-ever book fair and Zawya's first shorts fest to experimental mobile-phone derived sound, a famous cantata and/or dinner at the movies.

Cairo International Book Fair – ongoing

The 47th book fair started last Wednesday but this week might be a nicer time to go – quieter, and still plenty of finds and bargains. It has the largest number of participants ever: 850 publishers from 34 countries (though not Turkey this year, for political reasons), and is themed “Culture on the Frontline.” IPAF-winning Tunisian author Shukri al-Mabkhout is one of the visitors. Read our report from last year.

Cairo International Fair Grounds, Medinat Nasr. Open daily 10 am to 7 pm, or to 9 pm for events, until February 10.

Zawya Short Film Festival – Thursday to Sunday

Zawya’s first short film festival consists of 24 Egyptian films, each competing for three awards: best film (LE5,000), jury prize (LE3,000) and best director (LE2,000). All screenings will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers. The award ceremony will take place on February 7 and will follow the screening of works by the jury members: filmmakers Hala Khalil, Wael Mandour and Nadine Khan. The line-up will be posted soon on the Facebook event.

February 4-7 at 6:30 pm, Cinema Karim, tickets LE25 (available on the day of the screening at Cinema Karim starting at noon).

Less Than Important – opens Thursday

Non-profit Studio Khana has invited six artists (Amanda KM, Anna Katharina Scheidegger, Huda Lutfi, Mohamed Ezz El-Din, Mohamed Saidy, and Sandrine Pelletier) for a modestly titled exhibition about forgotten texts and chats.

Opens February 4 at 6 pm, Saad Zaghloul Cultural Center, 2 Saad Zaghloul St. Runs until February 25, every weekday from 10 am to 9 pm.

Carmina Burana – Friday, Saturday

German composer Carl Orff’s incredibly dramatic and incredibly recognizable 1937 cantata Carmina Burana is being performed by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s chamber orchestra, youth orchestra, choir and children’s choir alongside the Heaven Harp Choir, at the Biblioteca Alexandrina (7 pm, Friday, LE25) and at the American University in Cairo’s Ewert Hall in Tahrir Square (8 pm, Saturday, free entry).

February 5 and 6. Follow the hyperlinks above for each event.

Hassan Khan: Phone Tone Generator and Pedals – Saturday

After almost eight years of mostly working (in his music practice at least - check parts of it on YouTube here) with a feedback mixer, pre-composed structures and instrumentation, sound artist, writer and musician Hassan Khan returns with just a mixer, a few pedals, contact mics and his phone for “a stripped down hardcore improv set-up.”

February 6, 8 pm, Balcon Heliopolis, 26 Sohag street, Heliopolis, Cairo. LE40, for details call 01229314690.

Dinner at the Movies – Saturday

Cimatheque is programming a second evening of shorts and silent films alongside a tailor-made four-course dinner at nearby Eish & Malh. The first such event, in December, included Egyptian commercials and newsreels, Marie-Georges-Jean Méliès's The Cook's Revenge (1900) and Buster Keaton's The Cook (1918).

February 6, 7-9 pm, 20 Adly Street, downtown Cairo. Program and menu to be posted soon on the Facebook event page. Seating opens at 6.30 pm on a first-come basis - or reserve a table on 01098744014 or by Facebook message.