The 7th edition of the El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) already promises to be an unmissable event in Arabic cinema, with the announcement of the first two Egyptian films selected for the competition: The Brink of Dreams/Les Filles du Nil de Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir, who will compete in the documentary category, and The Inevitable Journey To Find a Wedding In the running for the best fictional feature film. These two works, rich in captivating accounts and significant cultural representations, testify to the vitality and diversity of contemporary Egyptian cinema.
The Brink of Dreams : A theatrical odyssey in Egypt
The Brink of Dreams has already marked history by becoming the first Egyptian film to win the prestigious golden eye prize from the documentary at the 77th Cannes Festival. Directed by Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir, this documentary features a group of young girls from a remote village in Haute-Égypt who embark on an unprecedented theatrical adventure, defying the standards of their conservative society. Armed with their passion for the theater, they venture into the streets, expressing their dreams and their aspirations through daring performances which question the traditions of their community.
Nada Riyadh, the director of the film, expressed her pride in seeing the film presented for the first time in the MENA region at the GFF: ” After the world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, we are filled with joy and pride that the first Men of our film took place at the El Gouna festival. The GFF supported our project from its post-production phase as part of Cinegouna Funding last year. »»
For his part, Ayman El Amir, co-director, stressed the importance of this projection for the Egyptian public: “ We are impatient to present our film, which comes from the heart of Haute-Égypt and highlights heroines who have captured the hearings of festivals around the world. The El Gouna festival represents a crucial step before the wider release of our film in cinemas across Egypt. »»
The inevitable day to find a wedding dress : An intimate quest in the streets of Cairo
Jaylan Auf, director of The inevitable day to find a wedding dressimmerses us in a frantic quest through Cairo. The film follows Warda, a future bride who, on the eve of her wedding, embarks on a desperate search for the perfect dress. This journey leads him to rediscover not only the lively and changing streets of Cairo, but also his own identity and his aspirations.
Jaylan Auf describes the creative process of the film as a real roller coaster: ” True to its title, this film was a tumultuous journey for its characters in search of a wedding dress, just like for us, its creators, in search of the magic of cinema. It is an honor for us that the film has its world premiere at the El Gouna festival. »»
With an impressive cast including Yasmin Raeis, Asmaa Galal, Ahmed Khaled Saleh and Salwa Mohamed Ali, the film promises to captivate the public by its sincere exploration of the themes of love, belonging and self -discovery.
The El Gouna’s film festival continues to distinguish itself as one of the most prestigious events in the Arab world. By focusing on Arabic cinema, the festival aims to promote the films of the region while promoting intercultural dialogue through cinematographic art. The GFF mission is not only to connect regional filmmakers with their international counterparts, but also to support the growth of the film industry by offering a platform for emerging voices and talents.
The 7th edition of the El Gouna Film Festival will be held from October 24 to November 1, 2024, promising a new cinema celebration where captivating stories and unique visions of Egyptian directors will be in the spotlight. With works like The Brink of Dreams And The inevitable day to find a wedding dressthe festival continues to strengthen its reputation as a vital springboard for stories that reflect the richness and complexity of human experiences in the Arab world.
The 7th edition of the El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) already promises to be an unmissable event in Arabic cinema, with the announcement of the first two Egyptian films selected for the competition: The Brink of Dreams/Les Filles du Nil de Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir, who will compete in the documentary category, and The Inevitable Journey To Find a Wedding In the running for the best fictional feature film. These two works, rich in captivating accounts and significant cultural representations, testify to the vitality and diversity of contemporary Egyptian cinema.
The Brink of Dreams : A theatrical odyssey in Egypt
The Brink of Dreams has already marked history by becoming the first Egyptian film to win the prestigious golden eye prize from the documentary at the 77th Cannes Festival. Directed by Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir, this documentary features a group of young girls from a remote village in Haute-Égypt who embark on an unprecedented theatrical adventure, defying the standards of their conservative society. Armed with their passion for the theater, they venture into the streets, expressing their dreams and their aspirations through daring performances which question the traditions of their community.
Nada Riyadh, the director of the film, expressed her pride in seeing the film presented for the first time in the MENA region at the GFF: ” After the world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, we are filled with joy and pride that the first Men of our film took place at the El Gouna festival. The GFF supported our project from its post-production phase as part of Cinegouna Funding last year. »»
For his part, Ayman El Amir, co-director, stressed the importance of this projection for the Egyptian public: “ We are impatient to present our film, which comes from the heart of Haute-Égypt and highlights heroines who have captured the hearings of festivals around the world. The El Gouna festival represents a crucial step before the wider release of our film in cinemas across Egypt. »»
The inevitable day to find a wedding dress : An intimate quest in the streets of Cairo
Jaylan Auf, director of The inevitable day to find a wedding dressimmerses us in a frantic quest through Cairo. The film follows Warda, a future bride who, on the eve of her wedding, embarks on a desperate search for the perfect dress. This journey leads him to rediscover not only the lively and changing streets of Cairo, but also his own identity and his aspirations.
Jaylan Auf describes the creative process of the film as a real roller coaster: ” True to its title, this film was a tumultuous journey for its characters in search of a wedding dress, just like for us, its creators, in search of the magic of cinema. It is an honor for us that the film has its world premiere at the El Gouna festival. »»
With an impressive cast including Yasmin Raeis, Asmaa Galal, Ahmed Khaled Saleh and Salwa Mohamed Ali, the film promises to captivate the public by its sincere exploration of the themes of love, belonging and self -discovery.
The El Gouna’s film festival continues to distinguish itself as one of the most prestigious events in the Arab world. By focusing on Arabic cinema, the festival aims to promote the films of the region while promoting intercultural dialogue through cinematographic art. The GFF mission is not only to connect regional filmmakers with their international counterparts, but also to support the growth of the film industry by offering a platform for emerging voices and talents.
The 7th edition of the El Gouna Film Festival will be held from October 24 to November 1, 2024, promising a new cinema celebration where captivating stories and unique visions of Egyptian directors will be in the spotlight. With works like The Brink of Dreams And The inevitable day to find a wedding dressthe festival continues to strengthen its reputation as a vital springboard for stories that reflect the richness and complexity of human experiences in the Arab world.
