The 21 selected projects bring stories from 13 Arab nations, involving co-productions from nine international collaboration.
The CineGouna Platform (CGP), the industry arm of the El Gouna Film Festival (GFF), has announced the selected projects for the seventh edition of CineGouna Funding, previously known as CineGouna SpringBoard. This initiative supports project development and co-production and serves as a key component of GFF.
This year’s CineGouna Funding activities will be held from October 25 to 31, during the seventh edition of the El Gouna Film Festival, which runs from October 24 to November 1, 2024. The platform will feature 21 Arab film projects in various stages of production.
Out of more than 230 submissions from across the Arab world, a panel of industry experts selected 13 projects in development—comprising seven feature narratives and six feature documentaries—and eight films in post-production, including four feature narratives and four feature documentaries. These projects span 13 Arab nations and are supported by co-productions with producers from nine other countries.
CineGouna Funding provides filmmakers with the opportunity to present their projects to an international network of producers, funding agencies, distributors, sales agents and festival programmers. Additionally, participants receive personalised mentorship and feedback from industry professionals to refine their scripts or improve their rough cuts, enhancing their chances of success in both regional and global markets.
Selected projects will compete for a range of cash and in-kind awards, reinforcing the platform’s commitment to independent filmmaking. These awards are made possible by the support of the festival’s partners and sponsors, who continue to help GFF promote cinematic artistry across various stages of production.
Speaking about the selected projects, Amr Mansi, Co-founder and Executive Director of GFF, said: “The huge number of projects that have applied to participate in CineGouna Funding this year, and the clear diversity in the countries where these submissions originated, establishes CineGouna Funding and GFF as one of leading platforms and destinations playing a pivotal role in supporting filmmakers from all over the Arab world and beyond it.”
Ahmed Shawky, Head of CineGouna Funding, commented: “21 projects out of 230 submissions means less than 10%. A challenging but enjoyable task to identify the right projects. This year, CineGouna Funding Alumni films were selected officially at the Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Locarno and Toronto festivals, demonstrating the platform’s consistent ability to recognize and support exceptional projects from the Arab world since its inception.”
The selected line-up for CineGouna Funding 2024 are Al-Madeeneh 2008 (Yemen); Amara (Denmark, France, Lebanon, Jordan); The Guardian (Algeria); Leila’s Trial (France); The Masters of Magic and Beauty (Egypt); A Pair of Shoes in the Dark Corner of the Moon (Egypt); Running with Beasts (Lebanon, Czech Republic); The Cow Thief (Egypt); Dwellers of the Cabins (Egypt, Qatar); Elsewhere (Sweden); House No. 7 (Syria, Qatar); The Myth of Mahmoud (Qatar); Remind Me to Forget (Saudi Arabia); Exile (Tunisia); In This Darkness I See You (Lebanon, France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia); The Meursault Investigation (Algeria, France, Switzerland); The Settlement (Egypt, France, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia); Life After Siham (France); My Father and Qaddafi (USA, Libya); Son of the Streets (Palestine, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon); and Those Who Watch Over (Belgium, France, Qatar).
