Nov. 30, 2023

Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival Reveals Special Edition After Being Postponed

Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival, which was delayed because of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, has announced it will schedule a special edition to take place from December 14 to 21. By: Dylan Low

The event is situated in a seaside resort close to the tourist town of Hurghada, 250 miles south of Cairo, will showcase its formerly announced full lineup of films, added on a special programme focused on Palestinian cinema, in partnership with the Palestine Film Institute.

“Additionally, a fundraising dinner is planned to gather donations for humanitarian aid efforts in Gaza in coordination with the Egyptian Red Crescent during the festival,” the festival announced in a statement, further elaborating that it “will be held without any celebrations.”

Taking place for the sixth time, the Egyptian festival will unveil an extensive combination of Arabic and international titles to be released in the Middle East and plenty of favourable projects from Arab countries set to be showcased to potential partners at its CineGouna industry side.

In a letter to invited guests, signed by festival co-founder Amr Mansi and chief Intishal Al Timimi, reads, “In this special edition, we aim to fulfil our responsibility toward the industry by continuing with the planned program of film screenings and showcasing the initiatives of CineGouna Platform, a creative hub supporting and empowering Egyptian and Arab filmmakers.”

Due to the current conflict situation, it will be a much-muted festival compared to the last, compelled by a spirit of perseverance and unwavering support for the local film scene.

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