El Gouna Film Festival Postponed a Second Time, as First International Titles Are Announced

The El Gouna Film Festival has postponed its edition — described by Arab News as its sixth — for a second time, the outlet reported on 2 September. On the same day, Arab News also reported that the festival had announced a first wave of international films for its programme.

The reports did not give new dates for the edition, a reason for the delay, or the titles included in that first announcement. Nor did they say whether tickets, accreditation or already-booked travel are affected.

Hurghada News reported earlier this year that the festival had signed a strategic partnership with the Zurich Film Festival. Taken together, the two Arab News reports point to a festival still assembling an international programme while its dates move, though neither report links the two announcements.

The festival is one of El Gouna's biggest fixtures of the year, bringing international guests, film industry visitors and press into the town's hotels, marina and venues for a week. A shifting date therefore matters well beyond the cinema: it is the kind of week El Gouna hotels, restaurants and transfer operators plan their autumn around.

For anyone holding travel booked around the original schedule, there is nothing firm to plan against until the festival confirms new dates. We will report those dates, and the announced line-up, once the festival publishes them.