El Gouna Film Festival · 2025

Eighth edition

16 October to 24 October 2025. It opened with Happy Birthday.

  • 83 films from 49 countries, 13 of them Egyptian and 31 Arab.
  • 22 Stars and prizes, given by 24 jurors on 6 panels.

The night of the Stars: the Golden Star went to A Poet. Every Star of 2025

The programme

83

Every film the festival listed for this edition, section by section. Point at a poster, or press it, and it comes forward.

Where a film's own poster is not on the record yet, goat grids draws one from its title.

Feature Narrative Competition

13
Best ActorMy Father's ScentMohamed SiamEgyptian filmSilver StarLucky LuLloyd Lee ChoiBronze StarThe SettlementMohamed RashadEgyptian filmSpecial jury mentionRomeríaCarla SimónGolden StarA PoetSimón Mesa SotoBest ActressAdam's SakeLaura WandelBest Arab filmWhere the Wind Comes FromAmel GuellatyArab filmNETPAC awardShadowboxTanushree Das, Saumyananda SahiFather Mother Sister BrotherJim JarmuschMilk TeethMihai MincanA Pale View of HillsKei IshikawaTwo ProsecutorsSergei LoznitsaNinoPauline Loquès

Feature Documentary Competition

12
Bronze StarOrwell: 2+2=5Raoul PeckCinema for Humanity audience award · sharedPut Your Soul on Your Hand and WalkSepideh FarsiSilver StarBest Arab filmLife After SihamNamir Abdel MesseehEgyptian filmGolden StarNETPAC awardFIPRESCI critics’ prizeAlwaysDeming ChenSpecial jury mentionHow to Build a LibraryMaia Lekow, Christopher KingBelow the CloudsGianfranco RosiKabul, Between PrayersAboozar AminiTales of the Wounded LandAbbas FahdelArab filmBetter Go Mad in the WildMiro RemoThose Who Watch OverKarima SaidiArab film50 MetersYomna KhattabEgyptian filmWind, Talk to MeStefan Djordjevic

Short Film Competition

17
Best Arab filmThe Devil and the BicycleSharon HakimArab filmBronze StarWater GirlSandra DesmazièresSilver StarLoynesDorian JespersGolden StarAgapitoKyla Danelle Romero, Arvin BelarminoClose Your Eyes HindAmir ZazaHyenaAltay Ulan YangOf Burning Memories & WoundsSuha BelalEgyptian filmSamra's DollhouseMaissa LihedhebArab filmCasa chicaLau CharlesAmbushYassmina KarajahArab filmA Bear RemembersLinden Feng, Hannah PalumboDog AloneMarta Reis AndradeBreaking out of Ali and Maher's baseAbanoub YoussefEgyptian filmReservoirDeokgeun KimCitizen-InmateHesam EslamiMy Brother, My BrotherSaad Dnewar, Abdelrahman DnewarEgyptian filmS The WolfSameh AlaaEgyptian film

Official Selection Out of Competition

25

Special Presentations

16

Window on Palestine

8
A World Not OursMahdi FleifelArab filmUnfinished StoriesNidal DamoArab filmColors Under the SkyReema MahmoudArab filmDreams of Farah and ZahraMostafa Al-NabeehArab filmGaza to OscarAlaa DamoArab filmThe WishAws Al BannaArab filmVery Small DreamsI'timad WishahArab filmHassanMuhammad Al SharifArab film

Special Program

6
Work-in-Progress / Les Ateliers de DahchouriaAlexandria Again and ForeverYoussef ChahineEgyptian filmNahlaFarouk BeloufaArab filmBye-Bye SouirtyDaoud Aoulad-SyadArab filmThe Young Arab CinemaFérid BoughedirArab filmHalfaouine: Boy of the TerracesFérid BoughedirArab film

Centenary Tribute to Youssef Chahine: The Godfather of the New Wave of Arab Cinema

5
Alexandria Again and ForeverYoussef ChahineEgyptian filmNahlaFarouk BeloufaArab filmBye-Bye SouirtyDaoud Aoulad-SyadArab filmThe Young Arab CinemaFérid BoughedirArab filmHalfaouine: Boy of the TerracesFérid BoughedirArab film

Spotlight Screenings

2
Ya Mehalabeya YaSherif ArafaEgyptian filmOcean with David AttenboroughToby Nowlan, Keith Scholey, Colin Butfield

Worked on one of these films? Find your name.

goat grids keeps the credits of the people behind Egyptian and Arab films. Your name may already be in them.

The juries

24

Feature Narrative Competition

  • Laila ElouiPresident · Egypt
  • Nahuel Pérez BiscayartArgentina
  • Kani KusrutiIndia
  • Rashid MasharawiPalestine / France
  • Giona A. NazzaroSwitzerland

Feature Documentary Competition

  • Nicolas PhilibertPresident · France
  • Hala GalalEgypt
  • Sona KarapoghosyanArmenia
  • Asmae El MoudirMorocco
  • Mohamed Saïd OumaReunion Island

Short Film Competition

El Gouna Green Star

FIPRESCI critics

  • Omnia AdelPresident · Egypt
  • Pamela CohnGermany
  • G P RamachandranIndia

NETPAC

  • Anne Démy-GeroePresident · Australia
  • Hala KhalilEgypt
  • Jean-Marc ThérouanneFrance

Honoured at the eighth edition

2025Career Achievement Award

منة شلبيMenna Shalaby

2025Behind the Camera Creative Achievement Award

طارق التلمسانيTarek El Telmissany

2025Behind the Camera Award for Recent Achievement (Editing)

هبة عثمانHeba Osman

2025Special Recognition Award

Intishal Al-Tamimi

The festival's name is used as plain text. goat grids is not part of El Gouna Film Festival.