ACCREDITATION FOR THE 7TH EDITION IS NOW OPEN
The juries comprise renowned figures from the international cinema community, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to evaluate the cutting-edge selection of films across the Narrative, Documentary, and Short Film competitions, as well as the special Green Star, FIPRESCI, and NETPAC prizes.
FEATURE NARRATIVE COMPETITION
Joanna Hogg, Film Director, United Kingdom (Jury President)
Widely considered one of Britain’s leading auteurs, she is acclaimed for visionary features such as Unrelated (2008), The Souvenir (2019), The Souvenir Part II (2021), The Eternal Daughter (2022) bringing her distinct artistic perspective as Jury President. She will also be giving a Masterclass titled Life into Film at GFF 2026.
Nahed El Sebaie, Actress, Egypt
Accomplished Egyptian actress celebrated for powerful performances in acclaimed regional films like 678 (2010), After the Battle (2012) and 19 B (2022). She won the Best Actress Award for her role in A Day for Women in Cairo International Film Festival (2016).
Khaled Hammad, Music Composer, Egypt
Prominent Egyptian composer whose prolific career spans iconic cinematic scores across three decades.
Prominent films he has composed for include Laughter, Games, Seriousness and Love (1993), starring Omar Sharif, Short, Shirt and Cap (2000), An Educational Film (2000), Africano (2001), Amir El Zalam (2002), and The Yacoubian Building (2006) and The Inevitable Journey to Find a Wedding Dress (2024 GFF).
Shawkat Amin Korki, Director, Iraq
Acclaimed Iraqi-Kurdish filmmaker known for award-winning features such as Crossing the Dust (2006) Kick Off (2009), Memories on Stone (2014). His latest film, The Exam (2021) premiered at Karlovy Vary and won the FIPRESCI award. It was also Iraq’s official entry for the Academy Awards (2023).
Yeşim Ustaoğlu, Director, Turkey
Celebrated Turkish filmmaker renowned for her deeply humanistic storytelling and award-winning features including The Trace (1994), Journey to the Sun (1999), Waiting for the Clouds (2004), Somewhere in Between (2012), Clair Obscur (2016), and her recent 2026 features What Remains is screened at GFF.
The Feature Documentary Competition and Green Star juries will judge films competing for the documentary prizes and the award recognizing the best film addressing environmental issues.
Samir, Director, Producer, Switzerland/Iraq (Jury President)
Acclaimed Swiss-Iraqi filmmaker, producer, and multidisciplinary artist celebrated for innovative works like Forget Baghdad (2002), Snow White (2005), and Iraqi Odyssey (2014). His fiction feature Baghdad, In My Shadow (2019) and the recent documentary The Miraculous Transformation of the Working Class (2024 GFF).
Aboozar Amini, Director, Afghanistan-Netherlands
Acclaimed filmmaker whose evocative documentaries, including Kabul, City in the Wind (2018) and Kabul, Between Prayers (2025) have won top international festival honours with the first winning top prizes at CPH:DOX, and received the El Gouna Bronze Star as well as the NETPAC Award for Best Asian Film. He is currently in post-production of his first scripted feature, Tahmina.
Julie Frères, Producer, Belgium
Renowned Belgian documentary producer heading Dérives and supporting independent filmmakers whose works screen globally. She produced over 75 films and has won several international awards for her work. Among her films as a producer are From Abdul to Leila (GFF 2024), Hair, Paper, Water…(2025) and The Other Side of the Sun (2026).
Reta Guetg, Film Festival Director, Switzerland
Guetg is Festival Director and Co-Owner of the Zurich Film Festival (ZFF). Since 2016, she has shaped its programming, industry activities and talent development. She co-founded and led the international short film festival Shnit for ten years. Guetg is a member of the Swiss and European Film Academies and has over 20 years of film industry experience.
Gladys Joujou, Editor, Lebanon/France
Celebrated French-Lebanese editor with extensive credits on major international features and award-winning documentaries such as Ghost Hunting (2017), Suhaib Gasmelbari’s Talking About Trees (2019, GFF, El Gouna Golden Star for Best Documentary Film), Samaher Elqadi’s As I Want (2021), Hind Meddeb’s Sudan, Remember Us (2024), and Lina Soualem’s Bye Bye Tiberias (2023 GFF).
The task of evaluating the Short Films Competition falls to a talented roster of international film professionals.
Meshal AlJaser, Director, Writer, Actor, Saudi Arabia
Award-winning Saudi director and creator known for bold, genre-blending storytelling and hit international shorts and features.
Amel Guellaty, Director, Tunisia
Tunisian director and photographer whose acclaimed debut feature Where the Wind Comes From won the El Gouna Star for Best Arab Narrative.
Christos Passalis, Actor, Director, Playwright, Greece
Celebrated Greek artist recognized for Dogtooth (2009) and his starring role in Sundance-winner Hold Onto Me, featured Out of Competition at GFF 2026.
FIPRESCI JURY
The FIPRESCI Jury, representing the International Federation of Film Critics, will select the best debut or early work across the competitive sections by directors
Elena Rubashevska, Film Critic, Festival Programmer, Sweden
Sweden-based film critic and Vice President of FIPRESCI dedicated to promoting visually driven documentaries and regional auteur cinema.
Henda Haouala, Film Critic, Academic, Tunisia
Professor of audiovisual techniques, film critic, and author specializing in cinema history and post-revolution Tunisian film.
Haytham Mofed, Film Critic, Egypt
Egyptian film critic, programmer, and author with extensive experience in cultural journalism and documentary cinema.
NETPAC JURY
The NETPAC Jury will award the best directed film by emerging directors of Asian origin, from narratives and documentaries in the program of the 9th edition.
Sidharth Srinivasan, Film Director, India
Award-winning independent Indian filmmaker and long-standing NETPAC member whose films have screened at major international festivals.
Maria Rita Di Santo, Film Critic, Author, United Kingdom / Italy
Italo-British film critic, author, and former university lecturer with extensive experience on international festival juries.
Kadum Saloom, Film Critic, Author, Iraq
Prominent Iraqi film critic, former Cinema Manager at the Iraqi House of Cinema & Theater, and author specializing in film theory and regional cinematic history.
The collective expertise and uncompromising artistic integrity of the Jury panels will not only ensure a rigorous evaluation of this year’s competition entries but also reinforce the festival’s enduring mission to empower bold storytellers, foster cross-cultural dialogue, and celebrate the transformative power of world cinema at the 9th edition of GFF.
El Gouna Film Festival extends its warmest welcome to all distinguished jurors and expresses its gratitude for their commitment to the 9th edition, enriching the festival’s journey as a cornerstone of cinematic excellence and cultural exchange.
ABOUT EL GOUNA FILM FESTIVAL
El Gouna Film Festival is one of the leading festivals in the Middle East and North Africa. It aims to present a diverse selection of films from around the world, with a particular focus on Arab cinema, to an engaged and knowledgeable audience. The festival seeks to foster cultural exchange through the art of filmmaking, connecting regional filmmakers with their international counterparts in a spirit of collaboration and dialogue. Furthermore, it strives to promote and support the growth of the industry in the region, providing a platform for filmmakers to showcase their work and discover new voices and talents that enrich the world of cinema.