During the opening day of the 8th El Gouna Film Festival 2025, actress Menna Shalaby captivated the audience with her insightful reflections in a Masterclass moderated by director Karim El Shenawy. The session offered a deep look into her career, artistic values, and the lessons learned from her cinematic mentors.

Shalaby said: “We were lucky to learn from great generations in Egyptian cinema. They taught us what responsibility towards art truly means. I’ve been blessed to work with masters like Youssef Chahine, Yousry Nasrallah, and Mohamed Khan—each one of them added a building block to my talent and my understanding of the craft.”

The El Gouna Film Festival honored Menna Shalaby this year with the Creative Achievement Award, recognizing her remarkable artistic contributions and her lasting impact on Egyptian and Arab cinema.

The festival also welcomed international star Cate Blanchett as a guest of honor, celebrating her humanitarian and artistic achievements with the Humanitarian Hero Award.