In its first edition, the El-Gouna Film Festival (22-29 September) brought film enthusiasts together for a week of screening international films.

In parallel to the screenings was a busy programme of talks, award ceremonies, an exhibition, and opportunities to mingle with filmmakers.

The festival took place across three venues in Gouna; Sea Cinema, which has three screenings halls, The University of Berlin (TUB) Auditorium, and the Marina Open-Air Theatre.

At TUB, there was an exhibition titled Arabs in the Foreign Imagination, which showcased 50 film posters on Arab films handpainted by foreign artists, dating back to the emergence of this art form, up until the 1950s. The posters are from the private collection of Abboudi Bou Jawde.

Other highlights of the festival included a talk with the team of Photocopy, which won the Gouna Star award for Best Arab Feature Narrative, and the presence of American actor Forest Whitaker as an honorary guest, who recieved one the festival's Career Achievement Awards.

For more, check our coverage of the festival: 

Complete List of Awards

Gouna Film Festival to 'put itself on the international map,' says founder Naguib Sawiris

1st El-Gouna Film Festival kicks off with Sheikh Jackson and strong winds

Naguib Sawiris partners with Forest Whitaker at El-Gouna Film Festival

Q&A: Lebanon's Ziad Doueiri talks about his new film The Insult after El-Gouna Egyptian premiere

Dinosaurs, romance and nostalgia: Award-winning Egyptian film Photocopy charms Gouna festival

Gouna Film Festival closes with big hopes for coming editions

Text and photos: Soha Elsirgany