Kicking off one of the Middle East’s most prestigious cinematic events, the seventh edition of the El Gouna Film Festival emphasizes the urgent need for peace amidst global turmoil.

As a platform designed to nurture cross-cultural dialogue and enhance the international appreciation of Arab cinema, this year’s festival has assembled an impressive roster of filmmakers, actors, and industry leaders from around the globe, all united in their commitment to the theme of peace.

Running from October 24 to November 1, this edition marks a welcome return to the festival’s traditional autumn schedule. Last year, the 2023 edition was moved to December due to the escalating Israel-Hamas conflict, underscoring the festival’s responsiveness to current events and the prevailing climate of unrest.

The opening ceremony set a powerful tone for the week ahead, attended by prominent figures such as Naguib Sawiris, the festival’s founder and chairman of Orascom Investment Holding; Samih Sawiris, the creator of El Gouna and chairman of the festival; and acclaimed actress Youssra, who serves on the International Advisory Board.

Additional notable attendees included Omar El Hamamsy, CEO of Orascom Development Holding; Amr Mansy, executive director and co-founder of the festival; and artistic director Marianne Khoury.

The red carpet glimmered with an array of international talent. Among the stars present were Kevin Dias, from the popular Netflix series “Emily in Paris”; Swedish actress Alicia Agneson, whose work includes the historical drama “Vikings”; and Antonella Salvucci, celebrated for her performances in various Italian films and television shows.

“It’s been an honor to attend this festival since the first edition,” Salvucci told the Golden Globes website. “Here, they have something to express year by year, especially because it’s cinema for humanity. In El Gouna Film Festival, artists and filmmakers come here to affect the world with their artwork.”

In alignment with their core theme of “Cinema for Humanity,” festival organizers reiterated the critical importance of peace and stability throughout the week’s events. Naguib Sawiris articulated this sentiment poignantly during the opening ceremony, stating, “The good thing about cinema is that it can deliver a message right into the heart. What we need now is leadership to tell people we’ve had enough of war. Stop the war. The whole world is at war and people are paying a very high price for some individuals’ egos.”

El Gouna Resort CEO Mohammed Amer adds, “What El Gouna represents is unique. Here there is anything, whether it’s cinema, art, culture, sports … our only language is to neutralize any of these war conflicts in the world. It’s part of our juice with El Gouna Film Festival — in specific, of course, to shed the light of many of these human suffering and sending a message to many of these platforms that that we care because we always advocate for world peace in general.”

This edition features a robust lineup of 83 films from 48 countries; films directed by women make up a remarkable 43% of  feature-length documentaries and fiction. Furthermore, 33% of the films represent debut or second-time projects, reflecting the festival’s dedication to promoting new voices and diverse perspectives within the film industry.

As the festival unfolds, it promises to be a celebration of cinema’s power to inspire change and foster understanding, all while advocating for a more peaceful world.