He is an Egyptian film critic, programmer, screenwriter, and the head of development for the Middle East at the “VIU” streaming platform. He publishes weekly articles on cinema and the entertainment industry. He is also the author of six books on Egyptian cinema.

Shawky currently serves as the Vice President of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI), the Secretary General of the Egyptian Film Critics Association (EFCA), and the Vice President of the African Federation of Film Critics (FAAC). He is the Artistic Director of the Aswan International Women Film Festival and the Artistic Consultant of the Malmo Arab Film Festival.

He has worked as a programmer for many film festivals, including those in Cairo, Mumbai, and Tripoli, among others. He has also served as a jury member at various festivals, such as Locarno, Shanghai, Eurasia, Transylvania, Macau, Sofia, Oran, and Taipei.