News
The seventh edition of the El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) recently concluded in the resort town of El Gouna on Egypt’s Red Sea coast. This year’s festival spotlighted a diverse selection of films and celebrated regional talent in a more focused, intimate atmosphere compared to the Hollywood-glitz of previous years. With fewer international stars in attendance, the festival concentrated on showcasing the creative contributions of filmmakers from across the Middle East and North Africa.
The top award at the festival, with a prize of $50,000, went to Ghost Trail, a drama directed by French filmmaker Jonathan Millet. The film’s lead actor, Adam Bessa, also received the Best Actor award for his performance. The festival featured 83 films from 48 countries, ranging from feature narratives to documentaries and shorts, screened across various venues in El Gouna. The diverse lineup included a significant representation of women filmmakers, with 43% of selected films directed by women, underscoring GFF’s commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices.
GFF’s industry platform, CineGouna, continued its tradition of fostering innovation and development for young Arab filmmakers. This year’s CineGouna Funding initiative selected 21 projects, out of over 230 submissions from across the Arab world. These projects spanned 13 Arab countries and included international collaborations, showcasing GFF’s dedication to nurturing regional cinematic talent on a global scale.
Since its inception, the festival has become a signature event for the resort town, attracting numerous visitors and boosting the town’s visibility and appeal. “It’s one of the most important events that we have on a yearly basis,” said Mohamed Amer, CEO of El Gouna. “We host more than 52 events every year, so consider this almost like one event every week. And the festival is by far the biggest event that we have. I think it’s played a very important role in spreading awareness about El Gouna, the beauty of the town, and its international aspect. That’s why we are very interested in keeping it and growing it year after year.”
Under the theme “Cinema For Humanity”, the festival Reintroduced the Window on Palestine program at El Gouna Film Festival and created a dedicated space for films and discussions centred on Palestinian narratives. Initially launched in 2023, the segment has since expanded its focus to explore other regional conflicts, with panels addressing issues in Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen, and Sudan. The Co-founder Amr Mansi echoed this ethos, underscoring the festival’s commitment to showcasing films that address pressing global issues. “Since last year, what we’ve seen during the war and what continues to happen, [the festival] became a platform for all voices from around the region and the world to show their voice through cinema,” Mansi remarked. “It means a lot to us and it means a lot to everyone who attends this festival.”
In addition to celebrating emerging talent, the festival also honoured iconic figures within the industry, granting lifetime achievement awards to renowned Egyptian actor and producer Mahmoud Hemida, as well as the Lebanese filmmaking duo Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige.
