El Gouna Film Festival Runs 15–23 October, With 80-Plus Films and a Career Award for Mona Zaki
The ninth El Gouna Film Festival takes place from 15 to 23 October with more than 80 narrative, documentary and short films, and the Egyptian actress Mona Zaki receiving a Career Achievement Award. Venues, ticket prices and a day-by-day schedule have not been published.
6 October 2026
The El Gouna Film Festival returns for its ninth edition from 15 to 23 October, with more than 80 narrative, documentary and short films on the programme and a Career Achievement Award going to the Egyptian actress Mona Zaki, according to Curly Tales.
The festival is also widening its industry side this year. CineGouna Series will back six television projects, and CineGouna Funding received more than 310 submissions. Two new strands have been added: Egyptian Voices, for Egyptian filmmakers, and Safe Harbour MENA, for filmmakers from the Middle East who are displaced or at risk.
Hurghada News reported last week that the only Egyptian film in this year's competition had its premiere at the Berlinale.
The announcement as published does not list screening venues, ticket prices or a day-by-day schedule, and gives no figure for how many of the 80-plus titles are world premieres.
For anyone planning to be on the coast in the second half of October, the dates are the practical detail: nine days in El Gouna from 15 October.