Hurghada Youth Cinema Festival Announces Fourth Edition Films and Jury Panels
The fourth edition of the Hurghada Youth Cinema Festival is set to take place from September 10 to 15, 2026, featuring international competitions for feature films, short films and student productions, alongside new workshops and programs designed to support emerging filmmakers.
The city of Hurghada is preparing to welcome the fourth edition of the Hurghada Youth Cinema Festival, scheduled to run from September 10 to 15, 2026, with a diverse international lineup of films and a program focused on young filmmakers and emerging cinematic talent. 🎬✨
The festival has announced the films selected for its various competitions, as well as the members of the international jury panels representing Egypt and several Arab and foreign countries.
🎬 Nine feature films compete for the main awards
The official feature film competition will include nine films representing a number of Arab and international cinematic experiences.
Among the announced titles are the Egyptian film “Trauma”, directed by Hatem Qenawy, the Algerian film “Khayt El Rouh”, directed by Yousef Mehasas, and the Indian film “A Pen Worth 87 Rupees”, directed by Ravi NepalKumar.
The competition also includes the Brazilian film “I Cannot Mention This Name”, directed by Helvizo Raton.
The international selection is designed to bring together different cinematic perspectives and storytelling traditions, giving audiences an opportunity to explore emerging filmmaking voices from various countries. 🌍🎥
🏆 International jury for the feature competition
The feature film jury will be headed by English writer, actor and director Professor Lloyd Peters.
The panel also includes Egyptian director Dr. Magdy Ahmed Ali, Egyptian actress Abir Sabry, Kuwaiti artist and media professionals' union chairman Dr. Nabil Al-Failakawi, and Uzbek director and producer Said Tulyaganov.
The diversity of the panel reflects the festival's international character and provides different professional perspectives on directing, acting, production and filmmaking.
🎥 27 short and documentary films from 17 countries
The festival's short documentary and narrative competition will feature 27 films from 17 countries.
Among the selected works are “Blind Passion” by Iraqi director Ali Hussein Amsiyoul, “Mama Papa Pasha” by Russian director Sasha Gromova, the Egyptian film “Because We Are Together” by Ahmed Abdelalim Kassem, and the Chinese film “Late Light” by Yun Tong.
Short films have become an increasingly important platform for young filmmakers, allowing them to experiment with new ideas, visual language and storytelling techniques. 🎞️✨
👥 Jury panel for the short film competition
The short film jury includes Egyptian actor Ahmed Fathy, Russian director and producer Evgeniya Gerikova, and Qatari critic and writer Hassan Rashid.
Their combined experience across acting, filmmaking and criticism is expected to provide a broad evaluation of the competing works.
🎓 22 films in the international student competition
Young filmmakers receive special attention through the International Student Film Competition, which features 22 films.
The selection includes 11 Egyptian productions and 11 Arab and international films from countries including Turkey, India, Brazil, Germany, Iraq, Russia and Nigeria.
The student competition represents one of the festival's key platforms for discovering emerging talent and giving young filmmakers an opportunity to present their work to professional audiences. 🎓🎬
🏅 Student film jury
The student competition jury includes screenwriting professor Dr. Khaled Abdel Galil, writer and critic Dr. Amal Osman, and Libyan actor Abdelbaset Abou Kanda.
Their experience gives participating students an opportunity to receive professional evaluation from specialists in screenwriting, criticism and acting.
🌱 The Green Award
One of the festival's distinctive initiatives is the Green Award, which recognizes a film that supports environmental tourism and promotes environmental awareness through cinema.
The jury is headed by tourism expert and artist Dr. Atef Abdel Latif, alongside screenwriter Mahmoud Hamdan and editor Ahmed Hamdy.
The award connects filmmaking with environmental and tourism issues, particularly relevant to Hurghada and the Red Sea region, where environmental tourism represents an important part of the area's identity. 🌊🌱
🏖️ Hurghada as a cinematic destination
The festival's location adds another dimension to the event.
Hurghada is one of Egypt's major tourism destinations, known for its beaches, marine environment and international appeal.
Holding a youth-focused film festival in the city allows cinema to become part of a broader cultural and tourism experience, while creating opportunities for filmmakers from different countries to discover the Red Sea destination.
🏛️ Hurghada Cultural Palace hosts the festival
The fourth edition will also benefit from the reopening and development of Hurghada Cultural Palace, which is scheduled to host many of the festival's major activities.
The cultural complex has undergone extensive renovation, including its administrative and activity buildings as well as its main theater, which can accommodate approximately 850 people.
The venue is expected to host the opening and closing ceremonies, film screenings, workshops, seminars and direct meetings between filmmakers and audiences.
✍️ Workshops and masterclasses
The festival's program goes beyond screenings and awards.
It includes workshops in areas such as screenwriting, cinematography and directing, in addition to seminars and professional meetings with filmmakers.
The goal is to provide young participants with practical knowledge and opportunities to interact directly with experienced professionals in the film industry.
The organizers have also announced plans to continue cinematic activities throughout the year through a dedicated Hurghada Youth Cinema Festival Cinema Club, with workshops, meetings and seminars.
🎞️ Why youth cinema is central to the festival
The festival has consistently focused on discovering and supporting emerging filmmakers.
Its competition structure has been designed to provide opportunities for first- and second-time directors, as well as films dealing with issues relevant to young people.
This gives the festival a distinct identity, emphasizing new voices and creative experimentation rather than focusing exclusively on established names and major productions.
🌟 A new edition focused on emerging talent
The fourth edition combines several key themes: young filmmakers, international cinema, tourism and environmental awareness.
With films from different countries, international jury members, student productions and the Green Award, the festival aims to create a diverse cinematic platform for emerging voices.
The use of Hurghada Cultural Palace as a major venue also provides an opportunity to bring filmmakers closer to local audiences and young talents from the Red Sea region. 🎬❤️
✨ Conclusion
The fourth edition of the Hurghada Youth Cinema Festival will take place from September 10 to 15, 2026, featuring a broad selection of feature films, short films and student productions.
With new programs, international jury panels, professional workshops and an emphasis on environmental tourism, the festival is positioning itself as an important platform for young cinematic talent.
Which film will win the major awards and become the standout production of the fourth edition? 🎥🏆
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