FESTIVAL DIRECTOR, INTISHAL AL-TIMIMI TO TRANSITION TO NEW ROLE WITHIN EL GOUNA FILM FESTIVAL LEADERSHIP TEAM

Cairo, March 25, 2024

El Gouna Film Festival announces a significant change in its leadership team. Intishal Al-Timimi, who has served as the Director of the festival since its inception in 2017, will be transitioning from his current role. However, he will continue to contribute to the festival's growth and success in new capacities.

Effective immediately, Intishal Al-Timimi will assume the role of a member of the International Advisory Board, where he will offer strategic insights to support El Gouna Film Festival's growth. Additionally, in his new capacity as Strategic Advisor, he will provide guidance to the El Gouna Film Festival team, ensuring the continuation of a culture of excellence and innovation.

Engineer Samih Sawiris, speaking about this transition, said “I would like, on behalf of each one of us at El Gouna Film Festival, to express our deepest appreciation to Intishal Al-Timimi for his outstanding leadership and countless contributions. His passion for cinema and commitment to excellence have been instrumental to the positioning of GFF. We are very grateful for the profound impact Intishal has had as Festival Director on GFF’s growth and identity and I am delighted that he continues to be part of the festival in another strategic role.”

Engineer Naguib Sawiris, Founder of the Festival, who was clear in his vision for the festival's leadership, expressed his thoughts, "From the outset, my sole criteria in choosing the Festival Director was to find the best-suited person for the job at hand. In Intishal, I saw not only the qualifications but also the passion and dedication necessary to lead the festival to success. I am proud to say that my decision was the right one, and Intishal's tenure has only reinforced that confidence."  

Amr Mansi, will continue to lead the GFF team as Executive Director. He will be supported by Marianne Khoury as Artistic Director and Andrew Mohsen, as Head of Programming, ensuring a seamless transition and continued success for El Gouna Film Festival in its 7th edition which will take place from 24th of October till 1st of November 2024. 

“Intishal has poured his heart and soul into the El Gouna Film Festival for many years. His visionary leadership and tireless dedication have been instrumental in transforming GFF from a startup into one of the most renowned cultural events in the region and shaping its growth." said Executive Director Amr Mansi, highlighting the exceptionally fruitful and harmonious working relationship he shared with Intishal, marked by mutual respect and a shared vision for the festival's success.

Reflecting on his tenure as Director of the El Gouna Film Festival, Intishal Al-Timimi expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to the festival's journey "I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to have served as the Director of the El Gouna Film Festival over the past several years. I extend my deepest appreciation to the festival founders for their vision and unwavering support. Additionally, I am immensely thankful to each and every one of my colleagues for their love, respect, and collaboration, which have been instrumental in enabling me to fulfill my role as Director." said Intishal Al-Timimi. 

As the festival enters this new chapter, it remains steadfast in its commitment to celebrating the art of cinema and fostering cultural exchange on a global scale. The festival looks forward to building upon its strong foundation and continuing to inspire audiences worldwide.

About El Gouna Film Festival

El Gouna Film Festival, founded in 2017, is 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 CineGouna Platform, an industry-oriented event created to empower Egyptian and Arab filmmakers and help them find artistic and financial support. CineGouna Platform presents the CineGouna Bridge program that provides opportunities for sharing and learning and the CineGouna SpringBoard, a project development and co-production lab.  New this year is the CineGouna Market, including the Short Film Lounge, a place creating a link between emerging and established filmmakers.