Do you have your popcorn ready? Cause we’ve got your back with an insider’s guide to El Gouna Film Festival’s sixth edition screenings. From which films to watch to when and where? Keep on reading for what to expect.
Just a heads up, for all the below films you just need your Gouna ID to book tickets from the ticket office. If you’re not in El Gouna, you can catch our list at Cairo’s Zawya cinema.
The Teacher
Having its red carpet premiere tonight, Palestinian award-winning filmmaker Farah Nabulsi returns to El Gouna with ‘The Teacher.’ This story tracks the dynamic between a student and a teacher and how that relationship unfolds across time.
You can catch this unique story tonight, Friday the 15th at the Festival Plaza at 9:30 pm.
The Shanabs
Egyptian filmmaker Ayten Amin is back with another heartwrenching drama; telling the story of mother-daughter dynamics as they navigate grief and learn to face each other’s negative behaviors.
The film stars a slew of celebrities such as Laila Ouli, Asmaa Galal, Leblela, and more.
You can catch it at on Sunday at Festival Plaza at 6:30 pm or on Thursday at Sea Cinema 2 at 12:15 pm.
If I could Only Hibernate
Though not by an Arab filmmaker, ‘If I Could Only Hibernate’ by Mongolian filmmaker, Zoljargal Purevdash saw a big turnout today at its first screening. The story follows a teenager’s dream of winning a psychics competition for a scholarship but life isn’t so smooth.
You can catch it at Sea Cinema 3 today at 3:30 pm.
Bye Bye Tiberias
Lina Soualem, French-Palestinian-Algerian director also happens to be actress Hiam Abbass’ daughter. In this documentary, we’re taken on a journey of Abbass’ story of leaving her Palestinian village behind and her family to pursue acting in France.
You can catch the heart-wrenching story at Sea Cinema 2 tonight at 7:35 pm.
The Goat
Director Ilaria Borreli zooms in on a touching story with magical aspects through ‘The Goat’ where a girl and her goat take on rural Egypt and its difficulties.
You can catch it on Monday at the Festival Plaza at 9:30 pm.
To My Father
Palestinian filmmaker Abdel Salam Shehata captures the idea of photographers and documentation of war across the 70s and 80s period.
You can catch it at Sea Cinema 3 on Tuesday at 12:30 pm.
Goodbye Julia
Sudan’s Mohamed Kordofani chronicles the story of a former singer who may have led to the death of a man by hiring his previous wife as her maid.
You can catch the twisty film at the Festival Plaza on Saturday at 6:30 pm and again on Wednesday in the Audiomax inside the Gouna Campus at 9:00 pm.
Machtat
Tunisian director, Sonia Ben Slama, interweaves through ‘Machtat’ the story of Fatma and her daughters who play at wedding ceremonies and how that music is infused through their lives.
You can catch this melodic story today at 5:15 pm in Sea Cinema 2 or on Sunday in Sea Cinema 3 at 4:45 pm.
Be sure to hit up these films and don’t forget to let us know your favorite ones.