The El Gouna Film Festival is an annual event held in the Red Sea resort town of El Gouna, Egypt. Its mission is to showcase a diverse range of films for a creative and knowledgeable audience. Aimed at artists and filmmakers, the festival promotes communication between cultures and filmmakers to enhance the industry and the region through the art of filmmaking. Dedicated to discovering new voices, the festival strives to develop cinema in the Arab world, particularly through its industry segment, the CineGouna Platform.
Sections & Awards
The El Gouna Film Festival's program features three official competitions: the Feature Narrative Competition, the Feature Documentary Competition, and the Short Film Competition. Additionally, there is an Official Selection out of Competition and Special Presentations. The festival awards more than $224,000 and trophies to winners in the competitive sections. The Special Presentations section showcases iconic films from the past that remain beloved by audiences. Feature-length films in all competitions are eligible for the GFF's Cinema for Humanity Audience Award, while films addressing environmental issues can compete for the festival's Green Star Award.
Venues
El Gouna Film Festival takes place in a variety of venues that blend the festival’s artistic flair with the town’s scenic beauty. The Gouna Conference and Culture Centre, also known as Festival Plaza, is the hub for musical events, opening and closing ceremonies, daily sunset networking events, red carpet premieres, and CineGouna Platform activities. Campus El Gouna provides a spacious environment for festival guests to meet, greet, and network. It features large facilities with versatile indoor and outdoor amenities. The Audimax auditorium, with a capacity of 392 seats, hosts all CineGouna Bridge activities and some screenings throughout the festival. Sea Cinema El Gouna adds an entertainment dimension to the town’s extensive list of activities, further enriching the festival experience.
History of El Gouna Film Festival
El Gouna Film Festival was founded in 2017 by Engineer Naguib Sawiris in collaboration with actress and producer Bushra Rozza, international event organizer and CEO of I-Events Amr Mansi, and film producer Kamal Zadeh. The initiative gained strength and momentum with the support of El Gouna founder Engineer Samih Sawiris and the support of many private sector sponsors. The festival is presented under the auspices of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture.
