21 SELECTED PROJECTS BRING STORIES FROM 13 ARAB COUNTRIES, INVOLVING CO-PRODUCTIONS FROM 9 INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS  

The CineGouna Platform (CGP), the industry arm of the El Gouna Film Festival (GFF), proudly announces the selected projects for the 7th edition of one of its flagship initiatives, CineGouna Funding (formerly known as CineGouna SpringBoard). As a central component of GFF, CineGouna Funding supports project development and co-production. This year, CineGouna Funding activities will take place from October 25 to 31, as part of GFF’s 7th edition, which runs from October 24 to November 1, 2024, and will showcase 21 Arab film projects at various stages of production.

Out of more than 230 quality submissions received from across the Arab world, a highly specialized committee of industry experts has selected 13 projects in development (comprising 7 feature narratives and 6 feature documentaries), and 8 films in post-production (4 feature narratives and 4 feature documentaries). These projects represent a rich variety of stories from 13 Arab nations and are bolstered by co-productions with producers from 9 additional countries.

CineGouna Funding offers filmmakers the unique opportunity to present their projects and works-in-progress to a global assembly of producers, funding agencies, distributors, sales agents, and festival programmers. The platform also facilitates one-on-one meetings with experienced mentors and industry professionals, providing filmmakers with invaluable feedback and advice to refine their scripts or fine-tune their rough cuts. This tailored mentorship program is designed to enhance each project's chances of success in both regional and international arenas.

All selected projects will compete for a range of prestigious cash and in-kind awards, with the total value of prizes continuing to underscore the platform’s commitment to supporting independent filmmaking across the Arab world and beyond. These awards are made possible through the generous contributions of our esteemed partners and sponsors, whose ongoing commitment enables GFF to continue promoting the art of filmmaking across various genres and stages of production.

Amr Mansi, Co-founder and Executive Director of El Gouna Film Festival, commented on the selection, saying: “The huge number of projects that have applied to participate in CineGouna Funding this year, and the clear diversity in the countries where these submissions originated, establishes CineGouna Funding and GFF as one of leading platforms and destinations playing a pivotal role in supporting filmmakers from all over the Arab world and beyond it”.

Ahmed Shawky, Head of CineGouna Funding, commented: "21 projects out of 230 submissions means less than 10%. A challenging but enjoyable task to identify the right projects. This year, CineGouna Funding Alumni films were selected officially at the Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Locarno and Toronto festivals, demonstrating the platform's consistent ability to recognize and support exceptional projects from the Arab world since its inception."

The Selected Line-Up for CineGouna Funding 2024 is:

PROJECTS IN DEVELOPMENT

Feature Narratives
Al-Madeeneh 2008 (Yemen)  

Director: Youssef Assabahi, Producer: Ala’a Amer  

Amara (Denmark, France, Lebanon, Jordan)  

Director: Michelle Keserwany, Producer: Tine Mikkelsen  

The Guardian (Algeria)  

Director: Muhannad Lamin, Producer: Lynda Belkhiria, Co-producer: Maytham Jbara  

Leila's Trial (France) 

Director: Charlie Kouka, Producers: Cyrine Sellami, Dora Bouchoucha, Caroline Nataf

The Masters of Magic and Beauty (Egypt)  

Director: Jad Chahine, Producer: Yousry Nasrallah  

A Pair of Shoes in the Dark Corner of the Moon (Egypt)  

Director: Ayman El Amir, Producer: Nada Riyadh 

Running with Beasts (Lebanon, Czech Republic)  

Director: Leila Basma, Producer: Natália Pavlove  

Feature Documentaries

The Cow Thief (Egypt)  

Director: Mohamed Zedan, Producer: Mark Lotfy  

Dwellers of the Cabins (Egypt, Qatar)

Director: Hend Bakr, Producers: Hend Bakr, Tamer Nady  

Elsewhere (Sweden)  

Director: Issraa Elkogali Häggström, Producer: Lars Lovén  

House No. 7 (Syria, Qatar)  

Director: Rama Abdy, Producer: Hazar Yazji  

The Myth of Mahmoud (Qatar)  

Directors: Mayar Hamdan, Shaima Al Tamimi, Producers: Shaima Al Tamimi, Dhia Jerbi  

Remind Me to Forget (Saudi Arabia)  

Director: Lama Jamjoom, Producers: Maryam Sindi, Rami Alzayer 

FILMS IN POST-PRODUCTION

Feature Narratives

Exile (Tunisia)  

Director: Mehdi Hmili, Producers: Moufida Fedhila, Mehdi Hmili  

In This Darkness I See You (Lebanon, France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia)  

Director: Nadim Tabet, Producers: Georges Schoucair, Eli Souaiby  

The Meursault Investigation (Algeria, France, Switzerland)  

Director: Malek Bensmaïl, Producers: Hachemi Zertal, Fred Premel  

The Settlement (Egypt, France, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia)  

Director: Mohamed Rashad, Producer: Hala Lotfy, Co-producers: Etienne de Ricaurd, Kesmat El-Sayed  

Feature Documentaries

Life After Siham (France)  

Director: Namir Abdel Messeeh, Producer: Camille Laemle  

My Father and Qaddafi (USA, Libya)  

Director: Jihan, Producers: Jihan, David Guenette, Mohamed Soueid  

Son of the Streets (Palestine, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon)  

Director: Mohammed Almughanni, Producers: Rashid Abdelhamid, Glib Lukianets  

Those Who Watch Over (Belgium, France, Qatar)  

Director: Karima Saïdi, Producer: Julie Freres  

About El Gouna Film Festival

El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) is one of the premier cultural events in the MENA region, dedicated to showcasing a diverse array of films from around the world, with a thoughtful emphasis on Arab cinema. The festival aims to engage a passionate and knowledgeable audience while fostering dialogue and understanding between cultures through the universal language of filmmaking. A key objective of GFF is to connect filmmakers from the Arab world with their international peers, promoting collaboration and cultural exchange.