El Gouna Film Festival
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El Gouna Film Festival
The Red Sea's premier film festival — held in the beautiful lagoon city of El Gouna. International cinema, Arab world premieres, celebrity red carpets, and the unique backdrop of the Red Sea.
What Actually Happens
El Gouna Film Festival is the newest of Egypt’s major festivals and the most glamorous — a week of screenings, panels and parties in a Red Sea resort town, with the marina as its centre.
The programme leans towards new Arab and international cinema, with a competition strand and an industry platform that has become a genuine meeting point for regional filmmakers.
Screenings run in open-air and indoor venues within walking distance of each other, and the sea is a few minutes from every one of them.
Historical Background
Founded in 2017 by Egyptian businessmen Naguib and Samih Sawiris, El Gouna set out to build an industry platform for Arab cinema rather than only a screening programme.
Its CineGouna Platform funds and develops regional projects, and the festival has drawn Forest Whitaker, Owen Wilson and a steady stream of Arab and European filmmakers to the Red Sea.
Key Highlights
Day Schedule
What's Included
Practical Information
Insider Tips
Book accommodation in El Gouna early — the town has limited rooms and the festival fills them.
Bring one formal outfit for the opening and closing galas.
Tuk-tuks are the way to move between venues; they run all night during the festival.
Hurghada airport is 25 minutes away with direct European flights.
October days are still hot — leave time for the beach between screenings.
How to Get There
See It for Yourself
