The seventh edition of El Gouna Film Festival will be held from October 24th to November 1st.
The seventh edition of El Gouna Film Festival has revealed this year’s selection of 13 films that will compete for the prestigious El Gouna Star awards from October 24th to November 1st. These films represent the best in international cinema over the past year, featuring a mix of narrative and documentary works.
“Since its inception, El Gouna Film Festival has been committed to serving as a bridge between cultures and a platform for emerging filmmakers,” said Marianne Khoury, Artistic Director of El Gouna Film Festival. “This year’s selection reaffirms that dedication.”
When discussing this year’s selection, Andrew Mohsen, the Head of Programming at GFF, added, “We strive to maintain El Gouna Film Festival’s reputation for hosting the Arab premiere of the most notable films of the year, while also spotlighting fresh cinematic voices competing for various awards."
The Substance
Awards: Best Screenplay Award – Cannes Film Festival
Director: Coralie Fargeat
Country: UK, USA, France
A fading celebrity uses a black-market drug that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.
Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat
Awards: Audience Award – Sundance Film Festival
Director: Johan Grimonprez
Country: Belgium, France, Netherlands
The story of how jazz music and soft power were used during America's Cold War ideological battles, including in Congo.
Elementary (Apprendre)
Awards: Cannes Special Screenings
Director: Claire Simon
Country: France
A documentary focusing on children and teachers at a public elementary school in Paris, exploring how education shapes responsible citizens and human beings.
Stranger
Awards: Grand Prix – Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
Director: Zhengfan Yang
Country: USA, China, Netherlands, Norway, France
A series of episodic stories, each set in a hotel room, portraying the transient nature of human relationships.
Girls Will Be Girls
Awards: World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award – Sundance
Director: Shuchi Talati
Country: India, France, USA, Norway
A 16-year-old girl in a Himalayan boarding school experiences a rebellious awakening, disrupted by her mother’s own unresolved coming-of-age.
Toxic
Awards: 4 Awards – Locarno Film Festival
Director: Saulė Bliuvaitė
Country: Lithuania
Two teens form a unique bond at a modeling school in a bleak hometown, pushing boundaries in pursuit of a better life.
Ghost Trail (Les Fantômes)
Awards: Cannes Critics’ Week Opening Film
Director: Jonathan Millet
Country: France, Germany, Belgium
A secret group pursues Syrian regime fugitives. One mission leads a member to confront his former torturer in France.
Dying (Sterben)
Awards: Silver Bear for Best Screenplay – Berlinale
Director: Matthias Glasner
Country: Germany
Estranged family members reunite when faced with death, confronting unresolved issues.
Bird
Awards: Cannes Competition
Director: Andrea Arnold
Country: UK, France
A 12-year-old girl, neglected by her single father, seeks adventure and attention in the outskirts of North Kent.
A Traveler's Needs
Awards: Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize – Berlinale
Director: Hong Sangsoo
Country: South Korea
A mysterious woman finds solace in teaching French, relying on alcohol for comfort in a foreign country.
Caught by the Tides
Awards: Cannes Competition
Director: Jia Zhang-Ke
Country: China
A fragile love story set in early 2000s China, where a young couple navigates the challenges of ambition and separation.
Flow
Awards: 4 Awards – Annecy International Animation Film Festival
Director: Gints Zilbalodis
Country: Latvia, Belgium, France
A solitary cat finds refuge on a boat with diverse species during a great flood, learning to work together despite their differences.
Sons (Vogter)
Awards: Best Film Award – Hong Kong International Film Festival
Director: Gustav Müller
Country: Denmark, Sweden
A prison officer faces a moral dilemma when a young man from her past is transferred to the prison where she works.
