'Window on Palestine' Features Showcased at El Gouna Film Festival

The El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) has confirmed the return of its 'Window on Palestine' programme for the third year as part of its 8th edition, running from October 16th to 24th, 2025. This year’s showcase spotlights seven short documentaries from the 'From Ground Zero+' initiative, each offering a personal perspective on life in Gaza.
Launched in 2023, 'Window on Palestine' has become a cornerstone of the festival, giving Palestinian filmmakers a platform to bring their stories to international audiences. The selected documentaries were created with support from the Masharawi Fund for Films & Filmmakers in Gaza and Coorigine Production in France. Screened in Arabic with English subtitles, the films reflect the daily lives, challenges, and resilience of Gaza’s residents.
“Our commitment to the 'Window on Palestine' program is not just a curatorial choice. It is a fundamental part of our mission as a festival in the region," Marianne Khoury, Artistic Director of GFF, tells CairoScene. "Cinema has a profound power to document and to heal, and it is our duty to provide a space where the world can witness the incredible resilience and artistry of the Palestinian people. This program is a testament to the fact that even in the darkest moments, art and human stories will persevere.”
The programme includes Reema Mahmoud’s 'Colors Under the Sky', which follows a young artist displaced by war as she struggles to compose and record music amidst destruction. 'Dreams of Farah and Zahra' by Mostafa Al-Nabeeh captures the aspirations of two young girls who express themselves through colour and song. Alaa Damo’s 'Gaza to Oscar' tells the story of filmmakers risking their lives to keep Gaza’s realities on screen. Muhammad Al Sharif’s 'Hassan' depicts the ordeal of a teenager detained after trying to secure flour for his family. Nidal Damo’s 'Unfinished Stories' reflects on narratives interrupted by war, while I’timad Wishah’s 'Very Small Dreams' portrays the struggle of women in refugee camps to preserve dignity in difficult conditions. Finally, Aws Al Banna’s 'The Wish' shows a theatre director transforming collective wounds into art as a form of empowerment.
"Cinema saved us and was the only thing for us when the world failed us," Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi, who conceptualised the initiative and produced the films through his fund, says. "These young filmmakers, working under unimaginable conditions, have managed to capture the essence of their humanity, their dreams, their pain, and their resilience. It is an honour to have these films have their world premiere at the El Gouna Film Festival, a platform that understands the power of cinema to connect, inform, and inspire. By screening these seven short documentaries, we are not just showing films; we are building bridges and proving that nobody can occupy cinema."