9 Films in the Feature Narrative Competition
The ninth edition of El Gouna Film Festival brings together nine films competing in the Feature Narrative Competition, creating a diverse selection of productions from different countries and cinematic cultures.
The films explore a wide range of themes, including identity, family, love, migration, social conflicts and human relationships, alongside works that have already appeared at major international film festivals and received recognition.
The competition includes productions connected to countries such as Poland, Germany, Italy, France, Serbia, Bulgaria, Mexico, Morocco, Austria, Lebanon, Iran and Japan, reflecting the international scope of the ninth edition.
Among the selected films is “Fatherland,” directed by Polish filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski, known for films including “Ida” and “Cold War,” the latter of which was screened at El Gouna Film Festival in 2017.
🎬 “Fatherland”.. Pawel Pawlikowski’s Latest Film
Pawel Pawlikowski joins the Feature Narrative Competition with “Fatherland,” a co-production involving Poland, Germany, Italy and France.
Released in 2026, the film has a runtime of 82 minutes and features German, English, French and Russian.
The film continues Pawlikowski’s focus on human relationships and emotional details, presenting a personal story against the backdrop of a turbulent period in post-war Europe.
❤️ A Story About Identity, Family, Love and Guilt
“Fatherland” presents a portrait built around several human themes, particularly identity, family, love and guilt.
The story follows an 11-year-old girl who tracks down her estranged father, a man she barely knows, and gradually begins to build a fragile and complicated relationship with him.
The father-daughter relationship becomes central to the film as the girl attempts to understand her father and establish a connection with him under difficult circumstances.
Through their relationship, the film explores separation, belonging and the effects of the past on family ties and human relationships.
🌍 Post-War Europe Forms the Background
“Fatherland” is set against the backdrop of post-war Europe, an important element of the film’s atmosphere.
Pawlikowski uses this historical environment to tell a personal family story, connecting the characters’ private experiences with the wider turmoil surrounding them.
The setting creates space for questions about identity, belonging and family relationships as the young girl tries to understand her absent father and establish a new bond with him.
⭐ Pawel Pawlikowski.. Director of “Ida” and “Cold War”
Pawel Pawlikowski is known internationally for films including “Ida”, released in 2013, and “Cold War”, released in 2018.
“Cold War” was previously screened at El Gouna Film Festival in 2017, making Pawlikowski’s return to the festival through “Fatherland” a notable part of the new edition’s narrative competition.
His latest project offers audiences a different story while maintaining his interest in human relationships and emotionally layered characters.
🏆 “Fatherland” Wins a Shared Best Director Award at Cannes
“Fatherland” premiered at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, where Pawel Pawlikowski received the shared Best Director award for the film.
The recognition adds another milestone to the film’s international journey before its participation at El Gouna.
Its Cannes recognition also places “Fatherland” among the films arriving at the Egyptian festival after attracting attention within the international festival circuit.
🎥 El Gouna Brings Diverse Cinematic Experiences Together
The Feature Narrative Competition is not built around a single cinematic style. Instead, it brings together films representing different filmmaking traditions and storytelling approaches.
The selected works explore themes ranging from family and identity to love, migration, social issues and human connections, creating a varied competition program.
“Fatherland” contributes to this selection through its intimate family story centered on a young girl’s attempt to build a relationship with her estranged father.
🎭 “Fatherland” Between History and Personal Story
One of the film’s defining elements is the combination of a historical backdrop with an intimate personal story.
While Europe is dealing with the aftermath of war and a period of social and political uncertainty, the young girl embarks on a personal journey to find and understand her father.
The intersection of history and family creates an opportunity to explore how the surrounding environment can influence relationships, identity and an individual’s search for belonging.
✨ “Fatherland” Enters the Ninth Edition Competition
The inclusion of “Fatherland” in the Feature Narrative Competition gives El Gouna audiences the opportunity to discover Pawel Pawlikowski’s latest work following his previous presence at the festival.
With nine films competing in the section, the program brings together stories from different countries and cultural backgrounds.
“Fatherland” enters the competition with a story centered on family, identity, love and guilt, while using the turmoil of post-war Europe as the backdrop for a deeply personal father-daughter relationship.
Ultimately, “Fatherland” combines a personal family story with a complex historical setting, following an 11-year-old girl as she attempts to build a relationship with her estranged father, while joining a diverse selection of films competing in El Gouna Film Festival’s Feature Narrative Competition.
Do you enjoy films that combine historical settings with intimate human stories like “Fatherland”? 🎬💬
