50 Years After the Birth of 'Rocky' and CIFF: Opening Film Reveals the Real Battle Behind a Cinema Legend
The Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), presided over by veteran actor Hussein Fahmy, has announced the selection of the American feature film 'I Play Rocky', directed by two-time Oscar winner Peter Farrelly, as the opening film for its 47th edition. The festival runs from November 11 to 20, 2026, with the film screening in the Official Selection Out of Competition section.
The selection carries special symbolism, harking back to 1976—a year that witnessed the birth of two influential milestones in film history. On the streets of Philadelphia, boxer Rocky Balboa was chasing an apparently impossible dream, while Cairo was launching its own international film festival. Fifty years later, the two stories intersect on the opening night of the 47th edition, with a movie revealing the real-life struggle that preceded one of cinema's most iconic heroes taking the screen.
'I Play Rocky' chronicles the inspiring behind-the-scenes story of making the iconic 1976 movie 'Rocky'. It follows young actor Sylvester Stallone, who was struggling for a real breakthrough in Hollywood before writing a screenplay about an obscure boxer challenging the odds. When producers took notice of the script, Stallone faced a new fight: studio executives wanted to buy the screenplay and cast a bankable star, but Stallone insisted on starring in the role he created, making his determination an extension of Rocky's own story.
The film revisits the backstage drama of one of Hollywood's greatest success stories, showing how a risky artistic gamble transformed into a global cinematic phenomenon. The original film went on to achieve massive commercial and critical acclaim, winning three Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director for John G. Avildsen, and spawning a franchise that influenced generations.
American actor Anthony Ippolito portrays Sylvester Stallone, following his performance as Al Pacino in the miniseries 'The Offer', which chronicled the making of 'The Godfather'. The cast of 'I Play Rocky' also includes Matt Dillon, AnnaSophia Robb, P.J. Byrne, Toby Kebbell, Tracy Letts, Jay Duplass, and Kiki Seto.
Written by Peter Gamble and directed by Peter Farrelly, the project follows Farrelly's previous triumphs, including 'Green Book' (2018), which earned him two Oscars for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. Produced by Toby Emmerich, Christian Baha, Peter Farrelly, and Paul Currie, 'I Play Rocky' is distributed by Amazon MGM and United Motion Pictures.
The film held its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2026, finishing as first runner-up for the People's Choice Award. It continued its festival run by winning the Audience Award in the Galas & Special Presentations section at the Vancouver International Film Festival, as well as the Audience Choice Award for Best Feature Film at Cinefest Sudbury in Canada.
It was also selected as a Surprise Screening at the BFI London Film Festival and screened at festivals in Rome, Zurich, and Chicago, alongside the AFI FEST under the Red Carpet Premieres section—a global tour demonstrating strong audience connection with a story celebrating passion and perseverance.
Selecting 'I Play Rocky' reflects CIFF's commitment to presenting diverse cinematic experiences that balance artistic merit with broad audience appeal, shedding light on the filmmaking process itself and its human and creative challenges.
Half a century after 'Rocky' and CIFF both launched in the same year, opening night celebrates a man who fought his toughest battle to give cinema one of its most enduring heroes, as well as a dream born in Cairo in 1976 that continues to showcase stories from around the world.
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