El Gouna Film Festival (GFF)
The El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) was founded in 2017 in the Red Sea resort of El Gouna and has quickly become one of the Middle East’s most influential film festivals. The 9th edition is expected to return in October 2026 with around 80 films across its three competitions.
Top prizes include the El Gouna Golden Star for narrative features (USD 50,000) and a documentary competition, alongside the CineGouna industry platform — a funding, market and forum programme that has supported dozens of Arab film projects.
What to expect
- Narrative, documentary and short film competitions for the Golden Star
- CineGouna funding awards exceeding USD 300,000
- Red-carpet galas and beachfront screenings
- Industry talks and project-pitch sessions
Highlights
✦ Golden Star competitions with USD 50,000 top prize
✦ Around 80 films from across the world
✦ CineGouna industry funding platform
✦ Red-carpet galas in a Red Sea resort
Tips
Accreditation opens months ahead — apply early for industry passes.
Screenings sell out; book individual tickets via the official platform.
El Gouna is ~5 hours from Cairo by road; fly to Hurghada then transfer.
Resort accommodation packages are bundled with festival passes.