1

Cinema For Humanity Audience Award (Ex-aequo)

Another Day of Life    FDC

Poland, Spain | 2018 | English, Portuguese, Polish, Spanish | 86 min

 

Directed by Raúl De La Fuente, Damian Nenow   

and

Produced by Jarosław Sawko, Ole Wendorff-Østergaard, Amaia Remirez, Raúl De La Fuente

This feature animated film is based on renowned Polish reporter Ryszard Kapuściński’s book Another Day of Life, which tells a the gripping story of a three-month-long trip that he took across Angola ravaged by a war in which the front lines shifted from one day to the next.

Guest(s) Attending

Raúl De La Fuente (Director)

Jury Citation

Cinema for Humanity is an Audience Award that is reserved for a film that exemplifies a humanitarian theme.

The award includes a trophy and US $10,000.00

 



2

Cinema For Humanity Audience Award (Ex-aequo)

Yomeddine    FNC

Egypt, USA, Austria | 2018 | Arabic | 97 min

Directed by A.B. Shawky   

and

Produced by Dina Emam , Mohamed Hefzy, Mohamed Sakr

Beshay, an Egyptian cured of leprosy, leaves the leper colony for the first time and embarks on a journey, with his apprentice Obama, to find his father. When they reach their destination, Beshay and Obama’s newly-formed understanding of home, family and humanity is put to the test.

Guest(s) Attending

A.B Shawky (Director), Dina Emam (producer), Rady Gamal (Cast), Ahmed Abdelhafiz (Cast), Rady Gamal (Cast), Yasser Ayouti (Cast), Shehab Ibrahim (Cast), Sayed Batawi (Cast), Galal ElAshry (Cast), Gamal El Din Hamed (Crew), Mohamed Abdelazim (Cast), Osama Abdallah (Cast), Ahmad Hosny (Crew), Erin Greenwell (Crew), Habi Seoud (Crew)

Jury Citation

Cinema for Humanity is an Audience Award that is reserved for a film that exemplifies a humanitarian theme.

The award includes a trophy and US $10,000.00

 



3

El Gouna Bronze Star for Short Film

Sheikh’s Watermelons | Les Pastèques du Cheikh    SFC

Tunisia, France | 2018 | Arabic | 22 min

Directed by Kaouther Ben Hania   

and

Produced by Nadim Cheikhrouha

Sheikh Taher is a godly and respected imam. He agrees to pray for the soul of a woman he does not know, but his act of piety proves to be the sin that will precipitate the spoliation of his power by Hamid, his young Machiavellian and ambitious underling.

Guest(s) Attending

Kaouther Ben Hania (Director)

Jury Citation

The power struggle that was warmly delivered to challenge our perception. A story questioning the morals and transparency of authority in a smart, surprising plot. For the social-political satire film that left a smile on our face and a thought in our minds. Kaouther Ben Hania’s “Sheikh’s Watermelons"

The award includes a trophy and US $4,000.00

 



4

El Gouna Silver Star for Short Film

Judgement    SFC

Philippines | 2018 | Tagalog | 15 min

 

Directed by Raymund Ribay Gutierrez   

and

Produced by Brillante Mendoza

Joy, a mother of a four-year-old girl, finally decides to stand up for herself by filing a case against her abusive husband, Dante. When she is yet again humiliated during the police procedure, she discovers that this will be a difficult battle to win.

Guest(s) Attending

Raymund Gutierrez (Judgement - Director)

Jury Citation

An uncompromising portrayal of a domestic abuse survivor, who attempts to take on the system and finds it rigged against her, we felt the story was told in a powerful yet subtle way through strong acting and dynamic camerawork. And while rooted in its home setting in the Philippines, the film touches on a subject that has relevance everywhere in the world.

The award includes a trophy and US $7,500.00

 

5

El Gouna Star for the Best Arab Short Film

EyeBrows | Ma Ti'lash An Alhajib    SFC

Tamer Ashry | Egypt | 2018 | Arabic | 21 min

Directed by Tamer Ashry   

and

Produced by Moustafa Salah, Haitham Dabbour, Safei Eldin Mahmoud, Tamer Ashry

“What is the one thing you wish was not forbidden?” Aiesha posts the question in a closed Facebook group for her burka-wearing peers. She meets a friend at the mall shortly after the post. During the seemingly ordinary shopping trip, she discovers that what she hates most is right over her eyes.

Guest(s) Attending

Tamer Ashry (EyeBrows - Director), Mariam ElKhosht (EyeBrows - Cast)

The award includes a trophy and US $5,000.00

 

6

El Gouna Gold Star for Best Short Film

Our Song to War | Nuestro Canto a la Guerra    SFC

Columbia, Belgium | 2018 | Spanish | 14 min

Directed by Juanita Onzaga   

and

Produced by Juanita Onzaga

In a story about life after the end of war, Crocodile-men, a mystical river and some kids who like fishing share the same Colombian land, Bojaya; a place where villagers have strange beliefs and practice the “Novenario” death ritual.

Guest(s) Attending

Juanita Onzaga (Director)

Jury Citation

to a film that enchanted us from the very beginning; we float along a mystical river, get deeper and deeper into the jungle, spiritual tales between the world of the living and the dead take over. Besides its pure magic and the breathtaking visual language, it is the belief in the power of reconciliation that makes this film absolutely exceptional.

The award includes a trophy and US $15,000.00

 

7

El Gouna Bronze Star for Documentary Film

The Swing | Almargoha    FDC

Lebanon | 2018 | Arabic, French, Italian | 74 min

Directed by Cyril Aris   

and

Produced by Cyril Aris

On the eve of his 90th birthday, Antoine anticipates a visit from his daughter. His wife of 65 years, Viviane, is dealing with her daughter’s tragic death; and concealing this unbearable truth from her husband - a truth that would inevitably end the last beats of his fragile heart.

Guest(s) Attending

Cyril Aris

Jury Citation

In this affecting  film the director takes us on a journey, through an intimate simple and complex composition, documenting a behind the doors personal journey about an elderly couple facing the twilight of their lives.

The award includes a trophy and US $7,500.00

 

8

El Gouna Silver Star for Documentary Film

Of Fathers and Sons | An Alaabaa wa Alabnaa    FDC

Germany, Syria, Lebanon | 2017 | Arabic | 99 min

Directed by Talal Derki   

and

Produced by Tobias N. Siebert, Talal Derki, Hans Robert Eisenhauer

Award-winning documentary filmmaker, Talal Derki, gains the trust of a radical Islamist family and films their daily life for over two years. His camera focuses mainly on the children, providing an extremely rare insight into what it means to grow up with a father whose only dream is to establish an Islamic Caliphate.

Guest(s) Attending

Talal Derki (Director, producer)

Jury Citation

An uncompromising and unsettling documentary in which the director courageously observes the plight of a close-knit family in a country bleeding away.

The award includes a trophy and US $15,000.00

 

9

El Gouna Gold Star for the Best Arab Documentary Film

Of Fathers and Sons | An Alaabaa wa Alabnaa    FDC

Germany, Syria, Lebanon | 2017 | Arabic | 99 min

Directed by Talal Derki   

and

Produced by Tobias N. Siebert, Talal Derki, Hans Robert Eisenhauer

Award-winning documentary filmmaker, Talal Derki, gains the trust of a radical Islamist family and films their daily life for over two years. His camera focuses mainly on the children, providing an extremely rare insight into what it means to grow up with a father whose only dream is to establish an Islamic Caliphate.

Guest(s) Attending

Talal Derki (Director, producer)

Jury Citation

An uncompromising and unsettling documentary in which the director courageously observes the plight of a close-knit family in a country bleeding away.

The award includes a trophy and US $10,000.00

 

10

El Gouna Gold Star for Documentary Film

Aquarela    FDC

UK, Germany, Denmark | 2018 |  Russian, English, Spanish | 89 min

Directed by Victor Kossakovsky   

and

Produced by Aimara Reques, Heino Deckert, Sigrid Dyekjaer

The film is a visceral wake-up call that humans are no match for the sheer force and capricious will of Earth’s most precious element, water. Aquarela is a startling visualization of the many personalities of water.

Guest(s) Attending

Victor Kossakovsky (director), Ainara Vera (Crew)

Jury Citation

The fragility of humanity is exposed in this immensely mesmerising film that captures the beauty and cruelty of raging oceans.

The award includes a trophy and US $30,000.00

 

11

El Gouna Star for the Best Actor (Mohamed Dhrif)

Dear Son | Weldi    FNC

Tunisia, Belgium, France | 2018 | Arabic | 105 min

Directed by Mohamed Ben Attia   

and

Produced by Dora Bouchoucha, Luc Dardenne, Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Nadim Cheikhrouha

Riadh and Nazli’s life revolves around their only son Sami, who is preparing for his high school exams. The boy's repeated migraine attacks are a cause of much worry to his parents. But when he finally seems to be getting better, Sami suddenly disappears.

 

12

El Gouna Star for the Best Actress (Joanna Kulig)

 

Cold War | Zimna Wojna    FNC

Poland, UK, France | 2018 | Polish, French | 84 min

Directed by Pawel Pawlikowski   

and

Produced by Tanya Seghatchian, Ewa Pusczczynska, Nathanaël Karmitz

Set against the backdrop of the Cold War in Poland, Berlin, Yugoslavia and Paris,  Cold War is a passionate love story between a man and a woman of different backgrounds and temperaments, completely mismatched and yet fatefully condemned to each other.

 



13

El Gouna Bronze Star for Narrative Film

The Heiresses | Las Herederas    FNC

Germany, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, France, Norway | 2018 | Spanish | 95 min

Directed by Marcelo Martinessi   

and

Produced by Sebastian Pena Escobar, Marcello Martininessi, Christophe Friedel, Fernando Epstein, Augustina Chiario, Julia Murat, Hilde Berg

Chela and Chiquita are both descended (I totally missed this one and it’s very true, I’m sorry) from wealthy families but are no longer rich. When their debts lead to Chiquita being imprisoned on fraud charges; Chela begins to come out of her shell and engage with the world, embarking on her own personal, intimate revolution.

Guest(s) Attending

Ana Brun (Cast), Margarita Irun (Cast), Marcelo Martinessi (Director)

Jury Citation

goes to a film that using the code of the melodrama portrays in a subtle way the daring relationship between two women

The award includes a trophy and US $15,000.00

 

14

Special Mention

The Man Who Surprised Everyone | Tchelovek Kotorij Udivil Vseh    FNC

Russia, Estonia, France | 2018 | Russian | 100 min

Directed by Natasha Merkulova, Aleksey Chupov   

and

Produced by Katia Filippova, Katrin Kissa, Guillaume De Seille, Alexander Rodnyansky

Egor is expecting a second child with his wife Natalia. After discovering that he has terminal cancer and has only two months left to live, he attempts to completely change his identity in order to fool the oncoming death, just like Zhamba the Drake did.

Guest(s) Attending

Katia Filippova (producer)

Jury Citation

The Jury wants also to highlight with a special mention a film that touched us for its courage in treating a story that challenges Russian conformist society

 

15

El Gouna Silver Star for Narrative Film

Ray & Liz    FNC

UK | 2018 | English | 108 min

Directed by Richard Billingham   

and

Produced by Jacqui Davies

Based on director and photographer Richard Billingham’s memories; the film focuses on his parents Ray and Liz, their relationship and its impact on Richard and his younger brother Jason, as they live on the outskirts of Birmingham and the margins of society.

Jury Citation

goes to a film that impressed us with its formal choices able to merge the funny side and the tragedy and go beyond the social representation of a dysfunctional family.

The award includes a trophy and US $25,000.00

 

16

El Gouna Star for the Best Arab Narrative Film

Yomeddine    FNC

Egypt, USA, Austria | 2018 | Arabic | 97 min

Directed by A.B. Shawky   

and

Produced by Dina Emam, Mohamed Hefzy, Mohamed Sakr

Beshay, an Egyptian cured of leprosy, leaves the leper colony for the first time and embarks on a journey, with his apprentice Obama, to find his father. When they reach their destination, Beshay and Obama’s newly-formed understanding of home, family and humanity is put to the test.

Jury Citation

goes to a film that brings the light on a reality of intolerance and through the journey of a unique duo succeeds in overcoming the indifference which is still very much dominant in our societies

The award includes a trophy and US $20,000.00

 

17

El Gouna Golden Star for Narrative Film

A Land Imagined    FNC

Singapore, France, Netherlands  | 2018 | Mandarin, English, Bengali | 95 min

Directed by Siew Yeo Hua   

and

Produced by Fran Borgia

After forming a virtual friendship with a mysterious gamer, Wang, a lonely construction

worker from China, goes missing at a Singapore land reclamation site. Lok, a police investigator, follows his tracks into the cyber cafe where he used to hang out to meet his virtual friend.

Guest(s) Attending

Siew Yeo Hua (Director), Luna Kwok (Cast)

Jury Citation

goes to a visionary film that skillfully plunges the traditional figure of the detective into the XXI century world, giving voice to a silent community.

The award includes a trophy and US $50,000.00