The 8th edition of El Gouna Film Festival, set to run from October 16 to 24, is already shaping up to be one of the biggest cultural events of the year. With 12 internationally acclaimed titles announced in its first wave, this lineup shows how global cinema keeps pushing limits and sparking conversations. From visionary biopics to surreal dreamscapes, here are our top picks you can’t miss this year.
1. ORWELL: 2+2=5 — Raoul Peck
Oscar-nominated director Raoul Peck dives into the final months of George Orwell’s life as he completes 1984. More than just a portrait of the writer, the film explores the origins of his concepts—Doublethink, Newspeak, and the looming figure of Big Brother. Disturbing yet timely, it’s a reminder of how Orwell’s words still cut to the heart of the reality today.
2. Sentimental Value — Joachim Trier
Joachim Trier’s new drama captures the messy tangle of family, ambition, and art. Sisters Nora and Agnes reunite with their estranged father, a once-famous director, only to find themselves caught up in his desperate attempt at a comeback. When he gives Nora’s role to a young Hollywood actress, long-suppressed tensions rise to the surface. Winner of the 2025 Grand Prix, it’s a sharp, emotional story of family ties and the costs of creativity.
3. Blue Moon — Richard Linklater
Richard Linklater tells the story of Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart, played by Ethan Hawke, on the night his former partner Richard Rodgers debuts Oklahoma! in 1943. Set entirely in real time at Sardi’s bar, the film follows Hart as he wrestles with failure, loneliness, and fading fame. Filled with writers, musicians, and rising stars, Blue Moon is both a snapshot of a bygone Broadway and a raw look at the price of genius.
4. Resurrection — Bi Gan
Visionary filmmaker Bi Gan returns with a dreamlike epic set in a future where humans have abandoned dreaming in order to achieve immortality. Only one monstrous figure still clings to visions of the dreamworld—until he meets a woman who can see what no one else can. Structured in five chapters, each tied to a different sense, this Special Prize winner is less a film than an otherworldly experience.
5. Sound of Falling — Mascha Schilinski
Mascha Schilinski’s Sound of Falling follows four different girls across the 20th century, all connected to the same farmhouse in northern Germany. From world wars to personal heartbreak, the film blends history with intimate moments of girlhood, showing how small memories carry the weight of entire generations. Winner of the Cannes Jury Prize, it’s haunting, atmospheric, and unforgettable.
Closing Note
With just its first wave, El Gouna is already proving why it’s one of the region’s most important film festivals. From Orwell’s prophetic truths to Trier’s family drama, Linklater’s Broadway tale, Bi Gan’s dreamscape, and Schilinski’s multi-generational epic, the 2025 edition promises a lineup that’s bold, emotional, and impossible to ignore.
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