Art house cinema initiative Zawya, the latest venture by Misr International films, will be screening American film Only Lovers Left Alive by acclaimed director Jim Jarmusch, starting Wednesday, 2 April, and for one week in Downtown's Odeon Cinema. The film follows two vampires who had been in love for centuries and who reunite after becoming depressed with human activities and the modern world. The film was nominated for a Palm d'Or in the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and was screened to a multitude of positive reviews in the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. Zawya has previously screened two films that had not previously been seen in Egyptian movie theatres: BAFTA-nominated Saudi film Wadjda, and The Past by Oscar-winning Iranian director Asghar Farhadi. Zawya is currently partnering with the Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival, running until 11 April. Screenings of the D-CAF film programme take place in the Odeon Cinema as part of Zawya throughout the duration of the festival. Zawya was launched 12 March with the aim of screening both local and international productions that do not normally make it to the Egyptian film market, with the newly-renovated Odeon Cinema as its first permanent venue. It is also set to focus on local independent productions, in order to support and promote the work of young Egyptian filmmakers who often lack the means to distribute their work and give it the viewing opportunity it deserves. Zawya will also hold film discussions, master classes in related topics, and retrospectives throughout the coming year. Programme: Wednesday, 2 April (for one week at least) Zawya, Odeon Cinema Downtown, Cairo Source: Ahram Online