El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) is pleased to announce the Call for Entries for the 6^th edition of CineGouna Platform, which is scheduled to take place October 15-21, 2022 in the resort town of El Gouna. The deadline for receipt of submissions is July 15, 2022 for projects in development and August 1, 2022 for films in post-production. Entry form and complete information regarding eligibility for submission can be found on the festival’s website: www.elgounafilmfestival.com

Festival Director Intishal Al Timimi commented, “Our mission since the inaugural edition of CineGouna Platform has been to provide participants with support and mentorship from experienced industry professionals, as well as financial funds through our partners and sponsors. We are proud that the majority of our CGP alumni gain international recognition, year after year. Our goal remains to secure the best possible resources for the participating Arab filmmakers in terms of productions opportunities and international exposure.”

During its 5^th edition, CineGouna Platform selected 12 projects in development and 6 films in post-production on the basis of their content, artistic vision, and overall financial feasibility. These projects presented by GFF along with its partners and sponsors, were eligible for various awards totaling US $300,000. 

The CineGouna SpringBoard jury included Lebanese producer and film critic Mohamed Soueid, former CEO of the NFDC Nina Lath Gupta, and Moroccan director and screenwriter Ismaël Ferroukhi.

A Quarter to Thursday in Algiers (France) by Sofia Djama won the Best Project in Development award, while They Planted Strange Trees (Palestine) by Hind Shoufani won the Best Film in Post-Production award. Others winners include; Fifty Meters (Egypt) by Yomna Khattab, Haysh Maysh: False Drama (Morocco) by Hicham Lasri, Aisha Can’t Fly Away Anymore (Egypt) by Morad Mostafa, Women of My Life (Iraq, Switzerland) by Zahraa Ghandour, Searching for Woody (Egypt) by Sara Shazli, A Song for Summer and Winter (Syria, Denmark, Germany, United States) by Talal Derki, Hanging Gardens (Iraq, United Kingdom, Palestine) by Ahmed Yassin Al Daradji, Hyphen (Lebanon) by Reine Razzouk, Happy Lovers (France, Morocco) by Hicham Lasri, and SINK (Jordan, Sweden, Canada, France) by Zain Duraie.

Since its inception; several CineGouna Platform alumni have made their mark regionally and internationally by winning acclaim and awards at prestigious international film festivals. Abu Bakr Shawky’s Yomeddine was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, and won the François Chalais Prize. Ayten Amin's Souad was selected at the 2020 Cannes Film Festival, The Day I Lost My Shadow by Soudade Kaadan won the Lion of the Future of the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, Ali El Arabi’s Captains of Zaatari had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival.

This year, director Ahmed Fawzi-Saleh’s Hamlet from the Slums and Ali Al-Fatlawi’s The Blind Ferryman - Al Baseer were selected among 16 projects for the 2022 L’Atelier Co-production Forum during the 75th Cannes Film Festival. In addition, Morad Mostafa’s Aisha Can’t Fly Away Anymore was selected among seven feature fiction film projects to participate in the pitching sessions of the co-production forum, Dot.on.the.Map Meeting Point during the 20th Cyprus Film Days International Festival. The film was also selected for the Red Sea Lodge mentoring program in collaboration with the Torino Film Lab. 

The 6^th edition of GFF is scheduled to take place from October 13 to 22, 2022 in the resort town of El Gouna.

El Gouna Film Festival

One of the leading festivals in the MENA region, GFF aims to showcase a wide variety of films for a passionate and knowledgeable audience, while fostering better communication between cultures through the art of filmmaking. Its goal is to connect filmmakers from the region with their international counterparts in the spirit of cooperation and cultural exchange. The festival is committed to the discovery of new voices and strives to be a catalyst for the development of cinema in the Arab world, especially through its industry arm, CineGouna Platform.

CineGouna Platform

CineGouna Platform is an industry-oriented event created to support and empowerEgyptian and Arab filmmakers and help them find artistic and financial support. CineGouna Platform presents the CineGouna SpringBoard and the CineGouna Bridge programs that provide opportunities for sharing and learning.