Approaching the long -awaited 6th edition of the El Gouna Film Festival (GFF), the event reveals with pride the emeritus members of the jury for fictional and short fictional films, as well as long and short documentary films. The films presented during the festival will also compete for prestigious distinctions such as El Gouna Green Star, the Cinema Prize for Humanity, as well as the Prix Fipresci and Netpac. This distinguished assembly of jurors brings various expertise and diversified perspectives in order to assess exceptional works in these categories.
Despite the challenges, the GFF remains faithful to its commitment to support exceptional cinematographic works. The jurors, distributed in different categories, are preparing to undertake the formidable task of assessing exceptional films.
Fiction feature films competition
1. Anup Singh
Anup Singh, cinema scholar, an eminent author and figure of the alternative Indian cinema based in Geneva, forged a career as a distinctive and deliberate director, enlightening the cinematographic landscape.
2. Saba Mubarak
Jordanian actress, with 60 works to her credit in cinema, television and theater, offers punchy performances capturing the various experiences of Arab women.
3. Yasmine Al-Massri
An internationally acclaimed actress, artist and human rights activist, born in Lebanon to a Palestinian father and an Egyptian mother. Based in the United States, Yasmine Al-Massri questions stereotypes and defends under-represented stories.
4. Manal Issa
Acclaimed Franco-Lebanese actress, recognized for her award-winning performances, skillfully merges her versatile talents as a screenwriter and star, enriching the cinematographic landscape.
5. Omar El Zohairy
Acclaimed director, originally from Egypt, known for his distinctive films mixing realism and surrealism, as well as their incisive social commentary.
Competition of documentary feature films and El Gouna Green Star
1. Catherine DUSSART
Renowned producer, celebrated for the quality of narration and cinematographic excellence, having supervised the production of nearly 100 films in more than 15 countries.
2. Jehane Noujaim
Director appointed to the Oscars, known to unravel complex accounts and a captivating narration that enriched the documentary landscape.
3. Ibrahim Shaddad
Crucial figure of Sudanese cinema, known to tackle social problems through impactful films. Note that his films: “Hunting Party”, “The Camel” and “The Rope” will be projected as part of the homage of the GFF2023 to the Sudanese cinema group, of which he is a founding member.
4. Sherief Elkatsha
Award-winning Egyptian-American director, known for his diversified career and his captivating documentaries.
5. Lamia Chraibi
Passionate producer, celebrated for her support for free, independent and daring cinema, as well as for her unshakable dedication to accompany the creative journey of directors.
Jury of short films competition
1. Lucy Kerr
Renowned director exploring the intersection between image creation and performance.
2. Mariam Al Ferjani
Tunisian actress acclaimed for her powerful performance.
3. Céline Roustan
Dedicated programmer and champion of short films, contributing significantly to industry.
4. Razane Jammal
A captivating British actress who excited audiences at home and abroad with her exceptional performances.
5. Wassim Geagea
Lebanese director celebrated for his distinctive narrative approach and his hard -hitting and realistic narration.
The Jury Fipresci (International Federation of Cinema Critics), responsible for recognizing exceptional cinema among directors of first films in Africa, Asia or South America, includes film criticism OLA SALWAPolish film journalist and film critic, eminent member of the European Cinema Academy; The South African film critic Stephen Aspelingknown for its program “Talking Movies”; Egyptian journalist and film criticism Zein Alabedin Khairy Complete this wise panel of film critics.
The netpac jury (network for the promotion of Asian cinema), dedicated to Asian cinema, is made up of Shubhra GuptaCritique of leading Indian cinema with more than 20 years of experience, which shapes cinematographic discourse through its column at “The Indian Express”; Ingrid Lill HøgtunNorwegian producer accomplished, with an impressive and diverse portfolio of films from Asia, the Arab world and Europe, and Dr. Malaak Swedscreenwriter, script-dog, anthropologist and television host, who serves as president of the NGO Saro, a dedicated organization to bring social change thanks to the power of cinema, theater and arts.
Intishal Al Timimi, director of the El Gouna Film Festival, expresses his sincere gratitude to the jurors by declaring: ” We are grateful to the support of these personalities accomplished from the world of cinema. Their presence and dedication ensure that the festival remains an essential platform for voices that need to be heard. We wish them a productive and inspiring experience during the festival. »»
In addition, the El Gouna Film Festival would like to mention that the public itself will be the jury for the cinema public prize for humanity. Established since the first edition of the GFF in 2017, this prestigious prize is awarded to a film illustrating a humanitarian theme. Feature films in all sections were nominated for this price for the public choice.
The El Gouna Film Festival is preparing to present a diverse selection of films, celebrating the art and the narrative talent of filmmakers around the world. Stay listening for more information on this cinematographic experience.
About the El Gouna Film Festival
The El Gouna Film Festival, founded in 2017, is one of the flagship festivals in the MENA region. The GFF aims to present a wide variety of films to a passionate and wise audience, while promoting better communication between cultures through the art of cinema. Its objective is to connect filmmakers in the region with their international counterparts in a spirit of cooperation and cultural exchange. The festival undertakes to discover new voices and strives to be a catalyst for the development of cinema in the Arab world, in particular thanks to the Cinegouna platform, an event oriented towards the industry created to empower Egyptian and Arabic filmmakers and help them find artistic and financial support. The Cinegouna platform presents the Cinegouna Bridge program which offers opportunities for sharing and learning, as well as the Cinegouna Springboard program, a project for project development and co -production. New this year, the Cinegouna Market, including the Short Film Lounge, a space creating a link between emerging and established filmmakers.
