As activism and humanitarian causes gain traction in the global film community, the 8th El Gouna Film Festival (GFF), taking place between 16-24 October 2025, in El Gouna, sets “Cinema for Humanity” as its core theme, while celebrating Egyptian director Youssef Chahine’s legacy of addressing social and humanitarian issues. “We chose this slogan because, today, there is no humanity,” Naguib Sawiris, founder of the festival, stated at the press conference, which took place on Tuesday, 16 October. “With the cooperation of the United Nations and the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, we reaffirm that cinema can be a bridge for empathy and change.” This year, the festival enters a long-term partnership with the United Nations, choosing to highlight the issue of food security as its central theme. The decision aligns with World Food Day, which coincides with the opening of the festival. As part of the collaboration, the short film competition “3eish” (Bread) returns for a second year in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), encouraging young filmmakers to address social challenges through cinema. At the press conference, Elena Panova, UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt, emphasized the importance…
In Tribute to Youssef Chahine, ‘Cinema for Humanity’ Leads the 8th El Gouna Film Festival
September 16, 2025
