For the first time in its three-editions-long history, the El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) which opened on 19 September is hosting the jury of theInternational Federation of Film Critics, known as FIPRESCI (Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique). The FIPRESCI is a non-profit association of national organisations of professional film critics and film journalists from different countries. The organisation's aimis to promote and develop the film culture and to protect the professional interest of the field. The FIPRESCI was originally founded in Brussels in 1930 and currently it has members in more than 50 countries. The members present at the GFF are the German journalist and film critic Karsten Kastelan, Egyptian film critic Mervat Omar and French TV producer and film critic Frédéric Ponsard. It's also the first time in GFF to host Netpack, a worldwide organisation founded in 1990 at the request of UNESCO that works as a network for the promotion of Asian cinema. Netpack aims at promoting a greater understanding and appreciation of Asian films and filmmakers. It's managed by cinephiles and succeeded in bringing a significant portion of the cinematic products of the Asian continent to world awareness through its publications, activities, seminars and roundtables. The jury members of the Netpack are film critic Gulnara Abikeyeva from Kazakhstan, Syrian film critic Nada Azhari and Bahraini film critic Hasan Haddad. For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture
