Kicking off one of many Center East’s most prestigious cinematic occasions, the seventh version of the El Gouna Movie Competition emphasizes the pressing want for peace amidst international turmoil.
As a platform designed to nurture cross-cultural dialogue and improve the worldwide appreciation of Arab cinema, this yr’s competition has assembled a formidable roster of filmmakers, actors, and trade leaders from across the globe, all united of their dedication to the theme of peace.
Operating from October 24 to November 1, this version marks a welcome return to the competition’s conventional autumn schedule. Final yr, the 2023 version was moved to December as a result of escalating Israel-Hamas battle, underscoring the competition’s responsiveness to present occasions and the prevailing local weather of unrest.
The opening ceremony set a strong tone for the week forward, attended by distinguished figures akin to Naguib Sawiris, the competition’s founder and chairman of Orascom Funding Holding; Samih Sawiris, the creator of El Gouna and chairman of the competition; and acclaimed actress Youssra, who serves on the Worldwide Advisory Board.
Further notable attendees included Omar El Hamamsy, CEO of Orascom Improvement Holding; Amr Mansy, govt director and co-founder of the competition; and creative director Marianne Khoury.
The crimson carpet glimmered with an array of worldwide expertise. Among the many stars current had been Kevin Dias, from the favored Netflix collection “Emily in Paris”; Swedish actress Alicia Agneson, whose work contains the historic drama “Vikings”; and Antonella Salvucci, celebrated for her performances in numerous Italian movies and tv exhibits.
“It’s been an honor to attend this competition because the first version,” Salvucci advised the Golden Globes web site. “Right here, they’ve one thing to specific yr by yr, particularly as a result of it’s cinema for humanity. In El Gouna Movie Competition, artists and filmmakers come right here to have an effect on the world with their paintings.”
In alignment with their core theme of “Cinema for Humanity,” competition organizers reiterated the essential significance of peace and stability all through the week’s occasions. Naguib Sawiris articulated this sentiment poignantly throughout the opening ceremony, stating, “The benefit of cinema is that it will possibly ship a message proper into the center. What we’d like now could be management to inform individuals we’ve had sufficient of battle. Cease the battle. The entire world is at battle and individuals are paying a really excessive worth for some people’ egos.”
El Gouna Resort CEO Mohammed Amer provides, “What El Gouna represents is exclusive. Right here there’s something, whether or not it’s cinema, artwork, tradition, sports activities … our solely language is to neutralize any of those battle conflicts on the earth. It’s a part of our juice with El Gouna Movie Competition — in particular, after all, to shed the sunshine of many of those human struggling and sending a message to many of those platforms that that we care as a result of we at all times advocate for world peace normally.”
This version includes a strong lineup of 83 movies from 48 international locations; movies directed by ladies make up a outstanding 43% of feature-length documentaries and fiction. Moreover, 33% of the movies signify debut or second-time initiatives, reflecting the competition’s dedication to selling new voices and numerous views inside the movie trade.
Because the competition unfolds, it guarantees to be a celebration of cinema’s energy to encourage change and foster understanding, all whereas advocating for a extra peaceable world.