The El-Gouna Film Festival (GFF) will be hosting seven Egyptian films — the largest number since its inception — within its upcoming fifth edition, which will take place between 14 and 22 October at the luxurious Red Sea resort city of El-Gouna. "Some films have received plaudits and acclaim at international film festivals around the world; others will celebrate their world premiere during the 5th edition of the GFF," stated Festival Director Intishal Al-Timimi. "The diversity of the selection, which comprises documentary, narrative, and short movies, reflects the multitude of talented individuals behind the ever-flourishing Egyptian film industry, and the reason why it has been crowned as the 'Hollywood of the MENA region' for over 80 years." The seven Egyptian films selected include the 2021 Cannes Critics' Week Grand Prix and FIPRESCI Award winner 'Feathers' — Omar El-Zohairy's debut feature — which will compete in the Feature Narrative Competition alongside Mohamed Diab's 'Amira' — which will premiere in the Venice Film Festival in early September. In terms of documentaries, 'Captains of Za'atari' by Ali El-Arabi — which won three awards at the 2019 CineGouna Platform — and 'Back Home' by Sara Shazli will be competing within the Feature Documentary Competition. Multi-awarded director Morad Mostafa will also compete with his third short 'Kadiga' at the Short Film Competition alongside Ahmed Abdel-Salam's 'Cai-Ber'. The Official Selection out of Competition Programme in this year's edition will be hosting the premiere of 'Full Moon', which has been directed by Hadi El-Bagoury and features a star-studded cast that includes Khaled El-Nabawy, Shereen Reda, Ghada Adel, Ahmed El-Fishawy, Yasmin Raeis, Ahmed Malek, Ahmed Hatem, and Asmaa Abu El-Yazeid. "Our selection of this distinctive and varied lineup is a nod to the Egyptian film industry, the longest running in the Arab World and the centre of entertainment in the Middle East," concludes El-Gouna Film Festival artistic director Amir Ramses. Moreover, the festival announced earlier that its 2021 Career Achievement Award will be handed to Egyptian star actor Ahmed El-Saka "in recognition of his extraordinary cinematic journey and outstanding contribution to the industry during the past two decades."
