El Gouna Film Festival Reveals Third Rising Stars Cohort
Five filmmakers from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Jordan and Syria will take part in panels, media engagements and the festival's red carpet.
El Gouna Film Festival has named the five filmmakers selected for the third cohort of its Rising Stars program, according to Deadline. The participants are Abdallah Dnewar, Razan AlSoghayer, Omar Rammal, Asmahan Bkerat and Rama Abdi.
The five come from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Jordan and Syria. As part of the program, they will take part in panel discussions, media engagements and the festival's red carpet.
Rama Abdi, a Syrian director of photography, editor and director, is presenting her documentary House Number 7 in the CineGouna Funding project showcase.
Selected filmmakers bring festival credits
Abdallah Dnewar produced the animated short My Brother, My Brother, selected for Rotterdam, and Khufu, selected for Locarno. Razan AlSoghayer's debut short Son Of Badriyah plays at this edition of El Gouna.
Omar Rammal's Everyday in Gaza won the best short documentary award at the 2026 David di Donatello awards, and his debut fiction short Kentucky Gaza premiered in the International Competition at Clermont-Ferrand. Asmahan Bkerat's debut feature documentary Concrete Land premiered at the Locarno Film Festival and won the Insights Audience Award at VIFF.
El Gouna Film Festival launched the Rising Stars initiative in 2024.
Quick answers
Who are the filmmakers in the third Rising Stars cohort at El Gouna Film Festival?
Abdallah Dnewar, Razan AlSoghayer, Omar Rammal, Asmahan Bkerat and Rama Abdi, from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Jordan and Syria.
What do Rising Stars participants do at the festival?
They take part in panel discussions, media engagements and the festival's red carpet.
What is Rama Abdi presenting at El Gouna?
Her documentary House Number 7, in the CineGouna Funding project showcase.