CineGouna Springboard, the industry arm of the El Gouna Film Festival (GFF), has officially announced the winners of its eighth edition. Dedicated to supporting Arab cinematic projects in both development and post-production phases, this year’s platform awarded a total prize pool exceeding $300,000. The funding was provided by the festival alongside a prominent group of sponsors and production companies committed to the growth of Arab cinema.
The esteemed jury—comprising Spanish producer Isona Passola, Egyptian director and producer Ahmed Amer, and Moroccan producer Lamia Chraibi—distributed 29 awards among 17 projects out of the 19 that competed in this year’s edition.
Major Highlights and Key Winners
The top honors were distributed as follows:
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Best Project in Development: Awarded to the film “Salt” (Tunisia, France, Belgium, Denmark, Qatar), directed by Rami Jarboui, receiving a $15,000 cash prize.
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Best Film in Post-Production: Awarded to “The Man Who Bends Before Flowers” (Lebanon), directed by Eliane Raheb, also receiving a $15,000 cash prize.
The project “American Dream: The Return of Captain Kabonga” (Egypt, Saudi Arabia), directed by Amir El-Shenawy, secured the largest share of diverse awards, garnering support from several institutions including the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, Rise Studios, The Sound of Egypt, and Shift Studios. Additionally, “Paradise Beirut” (Lebanon, France) by director Cynthia Sawma won multiple financial and service-based awards, while “Four Tales of Love” (Egypt) by director Magid Atta received varied support for post-production services.
A Cornerstone for the Industry
Amr Mansi, Co-founder and Executive Director of GFF, expressed his pride in the tangible results achieved by CineGouna, emphasizing that it has become a primary hub for the Arab film industry. Ahmed Shawky, Head of CineGouna Platform, noted that the current session facilitated over 114 individual meetings between filmmakers and production entities as part of a comprehensive professional program.
Through this platform, the El Gouna Film Festival continues its mission to foster creative collaboration between Arab and international filmmakers, aiding in the discovery of new voices and supporting their journey to reach wider audiences both within the Arab world and globally.
October 23, 2025.
