The eighth edition of the Aswan International Women Film Festival (AIWFF) opens Saturday night in Egypt's city of Aswan by the Nile River with a red-carpet ceremony.

The annual event, attended by dozens of Egyptian and foreign artists, filmmakers and critics, sheds light on women's causes and rights in Egypt and the Middle East region through filmmaking.

This year's festival runs until Thursday, attracting 76 selections of feature films and short films from 35 countries to rival in various competition sections.

"The AIWFF is the first festival with a specialized program of filmmaking workshops for the youth in the region, led by industry professionals, bringing the educational opportunities and skills needed to Aswan," AIWFF director Hassan Abu-Ela told Xinhua.

This year's edition has special programs for Sudanese and Palestinian films with a focus on women.

Palestinian film director Rashid Masharawi said it is important for the Arab world's patriarchal society to shed light on the issues and problems facing women through cinema and film festivals.

"The AIWFF is developing rapidly and the participation of movies, filmmakers and workers in the field is increasing notably every year, which means the festival is a real success," Egyptian film director Hala Khalil told Xinhua.