No deaths were reported. 

Civil protection units brought the fire under control, the GFF’s administration said in a statement, adding that flames devoured a small part of the hall prepared to host the opening of the festival.

The cause of the fire is being investigated, the administration said, suggesting a short circuit took place.

The press conference of the fifth GFF will be held today at 4pm as scheduled, the administration affirmed.

The Red Sea city of El Gouna is scheduled to host the fifth GFF between 14 and 22 October.

In its statement, the health ministry said 20 ambulances, medical teams, and mobile clinics were dispatched to the scene.

Eight people were sent to the nearby El Gouna Hospital, the ministry said. The rest were treated on site. 

Business Tycoon Naguib Sawiris, the founder of the GFF, tweeted a photo of the El Gouna conference centre that will host the festival, saying it was unaffected and that the fifth GFF will be held as scheduled.

Established in 2017, El Gouna Film Festival is held annually to showcase a diverse range of films in the attendance of a large number of actors, actresses, and filmmakers.