Track ‘Variety’s 10 El Gouna Film Festival 2026 picks

Variety has flagged ten titles worth watching at the ninth El Gouna Film Festival, running October 15–23 2026 in Egypt’s Red Sea resort town. The selection spans the narrative, documentary and short competitions and mixes established Arab filmmakers with emerging regional voices.

Among the highlights are prize-winners from Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Sundance and Shanghai. Several projects previously supported by the festival’s industry arm CineGouna return as finished works, underscoring the platform’s role in developing regional features.

Themes range from love and family to war and displacement.

Daisy Franklin

Daisy Franklin is an adventuress, rabblerouser, and all-around snarky bon viveur. She worked in the music business for ten years and it made her absolutely miserable. Now she works as a freelance writer and is working on her first book, 'Live to Fail Another Day'.

daisy@filmdaily.co