In a showcase of the burgeoning Arab film landscape, over 320 projects applied to CineGouna Funding this year, with more than 100 submissions coming from Egypt alone. This year’s edition of the El Gouna Film Festival, running through October 23 on the picturesque Red Sea, marks its ninth year and features new initiatives by CineGouna to address the significant gaps in the regional film industry.
Addressing Industry Gaps
The sheer volume of Egyptian submissions led El Gouna to establish a new initiative called Egyptian Voices. This program will provide training in pitching, packaging, and co-production for four additional local projects. Ahmed Shawky, who leads CineGouna Funding, highlighted three critical gaps in the Arab film sector: a lack of national film funds in many countries, limited co-production treaties, and the fluctuating nature of regional funding.
Shawky, also a film critic and festival programmer, pointed out that while Egypt has a rich cinematic heritage spanning 100 years and over 4,000 feature films, it lacks a national film fund, primarily focusing its film commission on attracting foreign productions rather than supporting local talent. He noted, “In Egypt, we don’t have a national film fund.”
Funding and Support Initiatives
CineGouna Funding this week awarded more than $350,000 in cash and services to various projects, with 40 awards granted to 16 out of the 19 participating projects. Among the notable recipients, Syrian filmmaker Rama Abdy’s documentary “House No. 7,” which explores the journey of three women building a refuge in Damascus, received the $15,000 CineGouna Platform Award for a post-production project. Additionally, Algeria’s Zoulikha Tahar won a similar award for her film “Paradise Beach,” which is currently in development.
Sudanese filmmaker Marwa Zein was granted €10,000 for her film “Lily’s Makkah,” along with post-production support and an invitation to the Durban FilmMart. The program also facilitated over 140 one-on-one meetings between participants and international companies, institutions, and festivals, highlighting the importance of networking in the film industry.
CineGouna Emerge: Cultivating New Talent
CineGouna’s impact extends beyond mere financing. With programs like CineGouna Emerge, aimed at emerging filmmakers and film professionals from Egypt, the Arab world, and Africa, the initiative focuses on accessibility and community-building. Hayat Aljowaily, who leads Emerge, emphasized the need for a supportive environment, stating, “It’s about creating a community.” The program has evolved to include mentorship, workshops, and dedicated networking opportunities, benefiting over 300 participants from 16 different nationalities this year.
Fostering Diverse Voices and Perspectives
Aljowaily noted the geographic inclusivity of Emerge, emphasizing its reach beyond Cairo to include filmmakers from various Egyptian governorates. She shared an inspiring story of a young woman from Upper Egypt who, having never attended a cinema, received exposure through the program, leading to a successful project pitch and a scholarship to study cinema in Cairo.
Furthermore, the CineGouna Forum, led by producer and screenwriter Ahmed Amer, fosters collaboration through panels and discussions. This year’s sessions included a focus on financing challenges, with insights from prominent figures such as Palestinian producer May Odeh and Toronto Film Festival programming director Robyn Citizen. Amer pointed out that while financial constraints can reshape filmmakers’ creative choices, there is also a significant need for more creative producers in the region.
The Future of CineGouna and Arab Cinema
As El Gouna Film Festival approaches its 10th edition, Shawky expressed a vision for strengthening CineGouna’s international presence and developing more year-round activities beyond the annual event. He noted the importance of providing opportunities for filmmakers to explore a range of topics, avoiding the tendency to solely focus on themes of trauma and instead allow for a diversity of storytelling within the Arab film narrative.
Filmmakers like Karim Kassem and Yassine El Idrissi, who found success with their projects through CineGouna, exemplify the platform’s capability to nurture talent and facilitate connections that are crucial in the filmmaking journey. As Kassem reminisced, “The contacts I made here, before and after the pitch, were incredibly important to the journey of the film.”
With these initiatives, CineGouna continues to pave the way for future generations of filmmakers, reinforcing its commitment to support and elevate the Arab film industry.
