El Gouna, Egypt - October 2025. El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) is proud to announce this year’s selection of CineGouna Rising Stars, a group of visionary filmmakers whose voices are redefining the contours of Arab and African cinema today. Carefully curated by the festival team, this list celebrates distinct cinematic perspectives from across the region, both substantively and aesthetically.

Launched during GFF’s 7th edition, Cinegouna Rising Stars reflects the festival’s deep commitment to nurturing the future of Arab and African cinema. It was created to honor and celebrate filmmakers whose cinematic language is shaping, and will continue to shape, the region’s film landscape. This year, all of the Rising Stars have a work represented within the festival, whether through films in competition and out of competition or through projects in CineGouna Funding, reaffirming GFF’s dedication to championing Arab talent throughout their careers.

“These filmmakers embody the kind of talent GFF is proud to champion, artists who are pushing boundaries and redefining Arab cinema for a global audience,” said Amr Mansi, Executive Director of El Gouna Film Festival. “Through them, we see a future where Arab and African storytelling expands its borders while remaining deeply rooted in its truths.”

“The Rising Stars program is not just a celebration of these voices, it is about bringing them together into a constellation,” said Marianne Khoury, Artistic Director of El Gouna Film Festival. “These filmmakers remind us that cinema is not only about representation, but revelation. Their courage to imagine otherwise is what keeps our collective narrative alive.”

“I’m deeply proud of this cohort,” said Hayat Aljowaily, Program Director of CineGouna Emerge. “Each of them carries an emotional truth that feels both intimate and boundless. Their work reminds us that cinema can still surprise us, move us, and open new ways of seeing. Their cinema does not merely reflect the world; it questions it, refracts it, and reimagines it.”

The CineGouna Rising Stars of the 8th edition of El Gouna Film Festival are:

Amel Guellaty (Screenwriter, Director, and Photographer - Tunisia)

Amel Guellaty’s debut short Black Mamba (2017) screened at over 60 festivals, winning 20 awards before being acquired by Canal+. Her second short, Chitana (2022), also gained international acclaim. Her debut feature, Where the Wind Comes From premiered at Sundance 2025.

Mariam Al-Dhubhani (Journalist, Filmmaker, Curator, and Educator - Yemen)

An award-winning Yemeni-Russian filmmaker, Mariam Al-Dhubhani, amplifies human stories from conflict regions. A two-time TEDx speaker and VR pioneer, she has mentored filmmakers across the MENA region and is completing her feature debut Let’s Play Soldiers, showcased at IDFA, Cannes, and Venice.

Sameh Alaa (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer - Egypt)

Known for his Palme d’Or-winning short I Am Afraid to Forget Your Face (2020), Sameh Alaa is one of Egypt’s most prominent new voices. His work has screened at TIFF and other major festivals. He is currently developing his debut feature film.

Sarah Goher (Director and Producer - Egypt)

An Egyptian-American filmmaker from the South Bronx and an alumna of NYU Tisch, Sarah Goher worked on Cairo 678, Clash, Amira, and Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight. Her directorial debut, Happy Birthday, premiered at Tribeca 2025, where it won Best International Feature, Best Screenplay, and the Nora Ephron Award.

Valentin Noujaim (Filmmaker and Artist - Lebanon/France)

A Franco-Lebanese filmmaker based between Paris and Athens, Valentin Noujaim is the author of the La Défense trilogy. His films and installations explore collapse and urban hauntology through 16mm and digital forms, with work shown at MoMA, CPH: DOX, and IFFR. He is developing his first feature, Asaa.

Yassmina Karajah (Screenwriter and Director - Jordan/Palestine)

Yassmina Karajah’s short Rupture (2018) won Slamdance’s Grand Jury Prize and was acquired by The Criterion Channel. Her latest short Ambush (2025) premiered at TIFF. She is developing her debut feature set in Amman.

Yomna Khattab (Director - Egypt)

Cairo-based filmmaker Yomna Khattab’s feature script Rokaya won the 2018 Sawiris Cultural Prize. Her debut documentary, 50 Meters, premiered at CPH: DOX 2025. She has written for Netflix’s Echoes from the Past and manages the Jesuit Film School in Upper Egypt while developing her second documentary, I Have Other Friends.

As part of the CineGouna Forum, this year’s Rising Stars will take part in a panel discussion titled “Meet the Rising Stars: New Scene” on October 21 at 11 AM, moderated by Hayat Aljowaily. The conversation will explore the shifting dynamics of filmmaking in the region, the intersections between personal narrative and collective history, and the role of cinema in imagining new futures.

About El Gouna Film Festival

One of the leading festivals in the MENA region, El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) showcases a wide variety of films from around the world, with a special focus on Arab cinema, for a passionate and knowledgeable audience. The festival fosters intercultural dialogue through the art of filmmaking, connecting regional filmmakers with their international counterparts. In addition to supporting the growth of the film industry in the region, GFF provides a platform for discovering new voices and talents while celebrating established ones.