Your Guide to GFF Screenings at Zawya Cinema

For the third year in a row, Zawya Cinema has announced its collaboration with El Gouna Film Festival, where it will be screening a selection of the festival’s featured films for a Cairene audience. The collaboration is part of a larger effort to make the festival’s immense curation accessible to the general public without the need for physical attendance in El Gouna.

This year’s Zawya lineup is made up of five films from Palestine, Norway, Iran, Ireland, Spain and more, seven of which were previously screened at Cannes Film Festival in May 2025. The screenings happen in parallel to El Gouna Film Festival, from October 19th to 25th.

Father Mother Sister Brother | Ireland & FranceSunday October 19th, 07:00 PM

Written and directed by American filmmaker and musician Jim Jarmusch, ‘Father Mother Sister Brother’ is a triptych of stories concerned with the complex relationships between adult children and their parents. After years apart, estranged siblings reunite, and are forced to confront unresolved tensions and reevaluate their strained relationships with emotionally distant parents.


Sound of Falling | GermanyMonday October 20th, 07:00 PM

‘Sound of Falling’ is a German drama co-written and directed by Mascha Schilinski. It follows four generations of women whose lives are subtly connected as each of them spends their youth on the same four-sided farmstead in Altmark, Germany.


Resurrection | ChinaTuesday October 21st, 07:00 PM

This science-fiction drama directed by Bi Gan takes place in the future, in a world where humanity has lost the ability to dream. The film is divided into six chapters, each representing one of the five senses in addition to one chapter for the mind. 


A Poet | SpainWednesday October 22nd, 07:00 PM

In ‘A Poet’, an aging, obscure writer mentors a talented teen, hoping to give her what he never had. But their bond spirals into a web of poor decisions and the weight of unmet ambitions. Directed by Simón Mesa Soto, as his second feature film, the film tells a tale of hope lost and found.


Blue Moon | United StatesThursday October 23rd, 09:30 PM

‘Blue Moon’ is a biographical comedy drama directed by Richard Linklater. It follows the story of a songwriter reflecting on his life during the opening night of a musical by his former colleague, and tackling challenging topics like alcoholism and mental illness.


It Was Just an Accident | IranThursday October 23rd, 07:00 PM

Directed by Jafar Panahi, ‘It Was Just an Accident’ explores the interaction between political repression and morality in Iran. The film, which follows auto mechanic Vahid as he recognises one of his torturers during his imprisonment at his workshop, was made without official filming permission from the Iranian authorities.


Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk | PalestineFriday October 24th, 07:00 PM

‘Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk’ is a documentary film directed by Iranian director Sepideh Farsi, depicting life in Gaza during the ongoing genocide, told through Farsi's video calls with Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna as she was in Gaza.


Sentimental Value | NorwayFriday October 24th, 09:30 PM

This comedy drama, directed by Danish-Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier, follows a fractured relationship between an acclaimed director and his two estranged daughters, which becomes even more complicated when he decides to make a personal film about their family history.


How to Build a Library | KenyaSaturday October 25th, 09:30 PM

‘How to Build a Library’ is a 2025 Kenyan-American documentary film, directed and produced by Kenyan director Maia Lekow and Australian filmmaker Christopher King. It follows the story of two women as they restore McMillan Memorial Library in Nairobi, Kenya, which was referred to as a “white-only” library for decades, and transform it into a vibrant cultural hub.


Lucky Lu | Canada & United StatesSaturday October 25th, 07:00 PM

‘Lucky Lu’ marks Canadian film director and screenwriter Lloyd Lee Choi’s feature debut. It encompasses the hardships faced by thousands of working-class immigrants by focusing on 48 nerve-wracking hours in the life of a single desperate delivery guy about to lose his job.