El Gouna Film Festival announced on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, the first 10 films selected for its ninth edition, which will take place from October 15 to 23, 2026, in El Gouna.
The first selection features a diverse lineup of films by established filmmakers as well as emerging talents, including works that have received critical acclaim and participated in major international film festivals.
Films Selected for El Gouna Film Festival 2026
The ninth edition presents a diverse cinematic program exploring themes including family, identity, human relationships, war, migration and social issues.
Andrew Mohsen, the festival's Artistic Director, said the programming team began working on the selection early, closely following some of the year's most notable films.
1. Fatherland
Fatherland, directed by Pawel Pawlikowski, is a Polish-German-Italian-French co-production.
The film explores identity, family, love and guilt against the backdrop of post-war Europe.
It received the Best Director award, shared with another filmmaker, at the Cannes Film Festival.
2. Hold Onto Me
Hold Onto Me, directed by Myrsini Aristidou, marks her feature-length directorial debut.
The Cyprus-Denmark-Greece production follows an 11-year-old girl searching for her estranged father and attempting to build a new relationship with him.
The film won the Audience Award in the World Cinema Drama category at the Sundance Film Festival.
3. The Garden We Dreamed
Mexican filmmaker Joaquín del Paso presents The Garden We Dreamed, a film following a Haitian family settling in a Mexican forest in search of a better future amid difficult circumstances.
The film received several awards at the Málaga Film Festival and was also screened at the Berlin International Film Festival.
4. Yellow Letters
Yellow Letters, directed by İlker Çatak, is a German-French production.
The film follows a relationship between two artists whose marriage reaches a critical point after an accident occurs during the premiere of their joint theater production.
The film won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.
5. Rose
Directed by Markus Schleinzer, Rose is an Austrian-German production.
The story follows a stranger who arrives in a war-ravaged village and presents himself as a new farmer while concealing the truth about his identity.
Sandra Hüller won the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance for her work in the film at the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival.
6. The Guest
The Guest, directed by Mads Mengel, is his feature-length debut and a Danish production.
The film follows two parents preparing to announce the name of their newborn before their lives are suddenly transformed by the unexpected arrival of the father's mother.
The film won the Best Director and Special Jury Prize at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
7. American Doctor
American Doctor, directed by Boh See Teng, is also a feature-length debut.
Produced by the United States, Palestine, Malaysia, Qatar and Denmark, the film follows three American doctors from different backgrounds who enter Gaza to save lives before facing serious risks while attempting to uncover the truth.
The documentary received awards from Amnesty International and the audience at the Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival and was also screened at Sundance.
8. All of a Sudden
All of a Sudden, directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, is a French-Japanese-German-Belgian production.
The film follows the director of a nursing home outside Paris as she attempts to introduce a more humane approach to care. Her life changes after meeting a Japanese playwright suffering from a terminal illness.
The film's stars Virginie Efira and Toa Okamoto shared the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival.
9. Queen at Sea
Directed by Lance Hammer and starring Juliette Binoche, Queen at Sea is a British-American production.
The film examines how the worsening dementia of a mother affects her family and the difficult questions and decisions they must face.
The film received the Silver Bear Jury Prize, as well as Silver Bear awards for supporting performances by Tom Courtenay and Anna Calder-Marshall at the Berlin International Film Festival.
10. Who Killed Alex Odeh?
Who Killed Alex Odeh?, directed by William Lavey Youmans and Jason Osder, is an American production.
The documentary revisits the murder of Palestinian-American community activist Alex Odeh, four decades after he was killed in a bombing, seeking to shed light on a case that remains unresolved.
The film won the Jury Prize for Journalistic Excellence and the Producers Award for Nonfiction at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
When Is El Gouna Film Festival 2026?
The ninth edition of El Gouna Film Festival is scheduled to take place from October 15 to 23, 2026, in El Gouna.
The festival administration is expected to announce additional films and events over the coming weeks as it prepares to reveal the full program for the ninth edition.
El Gouna Film Festival continues to strengthen its position as one of the leading film festivals in the Middle East by showcasing diverse cinematic works, connecting filmmakers from Egypt, the region and around the world, and supporting emerging talents and the development of Arab cinema.
When will El Gouna Film Festival 2026 take place?
The ninth edition will run from October 15 to 23, 2026, in El Gouna.
How many films were announced in the first selection?
The festival announced its first 10 selected films for the ninth edition.
What themes are explored in the selected films?
The films explore family, identity, human relationships, war, migration and contemporary social issues.
Do the selected films include award-winning works?
Yes. Several films in the lineup have participated in major international festivals and received awards in Cannes, Berlin, Sundance and other festivals.
