About the CineGouna: Key Event of El Gouna Festival:
El Gouna Festival offers filmmakers the opportunity of a lifetime! While most of the topics surrounding El Gouna Festival that come to mind are the enchanting celebrity appearances and captivating red carpet moments, the festival holds so much more!
Are you passionate about the film industry? Have you ever had cinematic ideas but lacked the funding? Or do you simply enjoy watching independent works of art from emerging Arab filmmakers? Well, you are now reading about an invaluable opportunity.
El Gouna Festival, taking place on October 27th, is one of the most prominent cinematic events in the Arab world.
El Gouna Festival was established in 2017 under the auspices of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture by engineer Naguib Sawiris in collaboration with actress and producer Bushra Rozza, international events organizer and CEO of AY Events Amr Mansi, and producer Kamal Zadeh. The festival has gained immense value through the personal support of its founder, Samih Sawiris, and the support of many private sector sponsors.
El Gouna Festival aims to showcase a diverse range of films to cinema enthusiasts and create better communication between cultures through the art of cinema. It also seeks to build a collaboration network between Arab and international filmmakers, resulting in cinematic magic through cooperation!
The festival is committed to exploring and embracing the diverse range of cinematic expressions in the Arab world. It is eager to discover new film voices and support their growth through El Gouna Film Platform. This dedicated industry arm aims to empower Arab cinema and create more opportunities for filmmakers and industry professionals alike.
You may wonder: Why El Gouna?
El Gouna is our global creative hub for several reasons. It is located 25 km north of Hurghada and easily accessible through the nearby Hurghada International Airport.
The city is known for its excellent infrastructure, outstanding services, natural beaches, and year-round sunshine, making it an ideal destination for visitors from major European capitals. Additionally, its location provides easy access to Egypt’s natural wonders, historical sites, and archaeological treasures.
A closer look at the CineGouna:
The platform offers two initiatives:
CineGouna SpringBoard:
It serves as a lab for developing film projects and co-productions, aiming to empower talented Arab filmmakers, including producers, writers, and directors, by providing them with intellectual, creative, and even financial support to bring their cinematic projects to life! Applications are accepted for feature-length fiction and documentary projects in the development stage, as well as films in the post-production stage. It is an open invitation to all Arab filmmakers, so seize the opportunity if you are one!
CineGouna Bridge:
The Bridge serves as a space where various cinematic voices can meet, participate in dialogue, and discuss topics related to the social and economic aspects of the film industry. It provides a platform for creative, independent Arab filmmakers and international industry professionals to connect and exchange ideas. This year, the Bridge’s activities are incorporated into the El Gouna Festival and feature numerous impactful workshops, lectures, and discussions led by multiple industry experts.
Key Activities of CineGouna in El Gouna Festival:
Pitch sessions:
Sessions are held to present film projects that are participating in the festival, with a total of 18 sessions followed by discussions.
Masterclasses:
One of El gouna festival’s main events is where the audience can listen to an inspiring talk by industry pioneers about their professional journey, direction, philosophy, or film school.
Mentorship Sessions:
Each project is assigned a mentor who meets with the team before the scheduled session to enhance and develop their work, providing advice before the presentation.
Panel Discussions and Dialogue Tables:
Listening to industry giants engage in discussions on various topics is an invaluable intellectual and professional addition.
Private Meetings:
One of the essential steps is bringing the filmmaking team closer to cinema industry experts and hearing their input in private meetings.
Training Sessions:
Two training sessions are organized to support the participating projects in El Gouna, aimed at developing their filmmaking skills.
Film Screenings:
The most magical moment of the festival! Selected works in the post-production stage are screened in the program’s first two or three days, allowing advisors, jury members, and industry professionals to watch them before meeting the filmmaking team.
Notable Lectures:
Lectures serve as a golden gateway to the world of filmmaking, featuring the most talented global figures in the industry and bringing them to you in El Gouna! Some of the lectures include:
Master Class by Ali Fazal, Hosted by the star Bushra.
A shining Indian actor who has played versatile roles in Bollywood films, including the characters of a fool, a jester, and a Bollywood hero. He gained fame in Hollywood with his appearance in “Fast & Furious 7.” He will deliver an engaging conversation at the El Gouna Festival, sharing his journey to stardom to inspire emerging filmmakers!
Read Also: Revolutionizing Real Estate: Paragon’s Groundbreaking Acceleration of Property Development
Pitch realization master class by Netflix, presented by Christopher Mack.
Christopher Mack will explain how to create and document the best showreel for TV series and films that revolve around a character. You will be able to write a professional pitch document that convinces your target buyer to easily decide whether your series is suitable for their network or streaming service they work for.”
A conversation with Director Peter Webber.
The director has helmed major projects with Netflix, such as “Nehemiah’s Rise,” “Emperor,” and “Al-Neshaloon,” in addition to the series “Tutankhamun” and “Mamalek El-Nar,” starring Egyptian actor Khaled El-Nabawy.
Prominent Speakers:
Film industry celebrities at the festival deliver inspirational speeches on various topics, empowering women and children through cinema. Among the notable speakers and workshop facilitators are Menna Shalaby, Nadine Labaki, and Raya Abirached.
Prizes offered by El Gouna Festival for the filmmakers:
Films compete for awards presented by a committee composed of prominent cinema figures and industry experts. The winning project in the development stage and the winning film in the post-production stage receive a certificate from the El Gouna Festival platform and a cash prize of $15,000 each. Additional monetary and special awards are provided through partnerships with local and regional institutions, amounting to approximately $350,000. The awards are distributed during the El Gouna Festival awards ceremony.
Some of the notable awards include:
$20,000 from the Shahid platform.
$20,000 from Sparkle Media Services.
$10,000 each from Rotana, I Productions, Art, Synergy Films, New Century Production, and El Gouny & Yak.
$10,000 from the Inner City, supported by the Ismailia for Investment and Real Estate Development Company.
$10,000 for marketing services for a winning film from The Cell Post Production (including promotional materials production).
$10,000 for DCP (Digital Cinema Package) services for a post-production film from The Cell.
Award of $80,000 from Shahid for production services.
$50,000, the first sale to OSN.
A prize worth $30,000 from Mad Solutions and Argo Media Ventures for the distribution phase.
A prize worth $30,000 worth of visual effects services from Mercury.
Two filmmakers will win a residency in the Virtual Independent Film Forum, which includes screenplay development sessions and project development meetings with American writers and producers from Independent Film and the U.S. Embassy, in addition to dedicated project mentoring sessions from Dox Box for screenplay and editing development over 10 weeks, and the opportunity to secure EFTA (European Film and Television Academy) funding to participate in one of their screenplay development labs or workshops!
How to Apply as a Filmmaker, Be the Next!:
Prepare well, take the first steps in your filmmaking journey, and submit your film in the upcoming 7th edition. Enjoy the festival on October 27th, explore the winning films, and follow your path!
Submission link: https://elgounafilmfestival.com/cgp-submission
