Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival (Gff) has announced its return for a sixth edition from October 13 to 20, 2023 after a one-year hiatus.
The future of the festival, unfolding in the Egyptian Red Sea Resort of El Gouna, had looked uncertain over the summer following the cancellation of its 2022 edition in the wake of a difficult fifth edition, marked by a political backlash over the selection and resignations.
Launched in 2017, the event developed into a key event for the Middle East and North African film industry over its first five editions as well as a destination for non-mena film and TV professionals to connect with the region.
Intishal Al Timimi, who has led the festival from the start, returns as festival director.
“After five successful editions, we wanted to take some time to re-evaluate the programme and explore all our options and reflect on how best to take the festival forward,...
The future of the festival, unfolding in the Egyptian Red Sea Resort of El Gouna, had looked uncertain over the summer following the cancellation of its 2022 edition in the wake of a difficult fifth edition, marked by a political backlash over the selection and resignations.
Launched in 2017, the event developed into a key event for the Middle East and North African film industry over its first five editions as well as a destination for non-mena film and TV professionals to connect with the region.
Intishal Al Timimi, who has led the festival from the start, returns as festival director.
“After five successful editions, we wanted to take some time to re-evaluate the programme and explore all our options and reflect on how best to take the festival forward,...
- 2/22/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Communication is complex and so is the choice to either shun the rest of the world or let others in. This dilemma is transmuted from mother to daughter, between husband and wife, from a friend to another friend and within oneself. Pakistani-Canadian filmmaker Haya Waseem tackles this subject in her coming-of-age film “Quickening,”an entry to the Spring Showcase at the San Diego Asian Film Festival, with glorious elan.
“Quickening” is screening at the 11th Sdaff Spring Showcase
The movie places this quandary within the terpsichorean world of Sheila, a 19-year-old Pakistani-Canadian who is trying to wrest herself free from the control of “values” invoked by her mother. As her mother disallows her from going out with her friends and insists on continuing to pick her up from school, Sheila asserts herself and ventures to experience things young people normally go through, such as exploring sexuality and intimacy.
This results in consequences however,...
“Quickening” is screening at the 11th Sdaff Spring Showcase
The movie places this quandary within the terpsichorean world of Sheila, a 19-year-old Pakistani-Canadian who is trying to wrest herself free from the control of “values” invoked by her mother. As her mother disallows her from going out with her friends and insists on continuing to pick her up from school, Sheila asserts herself and ventures to experience things young people normally go through, such as exploring sexuality and intimacy.
This results in consequences however,...
- 4/26/2022
- by Purple Romero
- AsianMoviePulse
Just One Film is a series that recommends individual films from festivals around the world—the movies you otherwise might have missed that deserve to be discovered.The fall of “innocence” looms over girlhood, an hour of imminent despair. We arrive at the coming-of-age drama already well-versed in the limits she will encounter as she explores her sexuality: there are clashes and confrontations, frustration and discomfort. She may make questionable sexual decisions or very natural ones. She may have to abandon her own home to survive. Haya Waseem’s Quickening belongs more specifically to those films that account for the sexual awakening of Muslim girls, divided between family influence and Western mores. In just the last few years there has been Iram Haq’s What Will People Say (2017), Jinn (2018) by writer-director Nijla Mu’min, and Minhal Baig’s Hala (2019). Waseem’s debut feature departs from its more straightforward predecessors by...
- 12/22/2021
- MUBI
Writer-director Haya Waseem’s feature debut Quickening is not about a pregnancy. Knowing this is crucial enough that she opens the film with the definition of pseudocyesis—a false pregnancy wherein the woman experiences all symptoms of being pregnant without there ever being a fetus. Without it we would focus too much on what Sheila (Arooj Azeem) having a baby during her freshman year at college would mean for her future rather than accept it as the product of all the stress she’s endured from family, friends, romance, heartbreak, and just being a young woman of color trying to reconcile the demands of her cultural heritage against those of her Canadian home’s potential for independence outside it. Playing everything “safe” is no longer an option.
Not playing everything “safe” is terrifying, though. Waseem uses Sheila’s major in performing arts as a metaphor for her inability to fully let go of her upbringing,...
Not playing everything “safe” is terrifying, though. Waseem uses Sheila’s major in performing arts as a metaphor for her inability to fully let go of her upbringing,...
- 9/15/2021
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
The first feature film by Canadian director Andrew Chung has been presented in the program of this year’s CAAMFest. Andrew Chung alias Andrew C is responsible also for the screenplay and production of the film. “White Elephant” is on some formal aspects a bit unhandy. But on an emotional level, a genuine coming of age drama.
The protagonist of the film is the young high school student Pooja. She has been born in Canada, but has Indian roots. Set in 1996, the film depicts the insecurities of the teenager and her friends through some popular films of the time such as “Romeo + Juliet” by Baz Luhrmann. Pooja dreams to take the role of the heroine and her crash Trevor to be her Romeo. Unfortunately, Trevor is a white boy. He and his friends don’t even think of mingling with Pooja and her friends, all of Indian descent. In fact,...
The protagonist of the film is the young high school student Pooja. She has been born in Canada, but has Indian roots. Set in 1996, the film depicts the insecurities of the teenager and her friends through some popular films of the time such as “Romeo + Juliet” by Baz Luhrmann. Pooja dreams to take the role of the heroine and her crash Trevor to be her Romeo. Unfortunately, Trevor is a white boy. He and his friends don’t even think of mingling with Pooja and her friends, all of Indian descent. In fact,...
- 5/10/2021
- by Teresa Vena
- AsianMoviePulse
Sidharth Shukla on Tuesday’s episode of Bigg Boss 14 admitted that he has ‘a girlfriend at home’. Much has been speculated about Sidharth’s relationship with Shehnaaz Gill. The two bonded during Bigg Boss 13.
Sidharth Shukla was seen telling fellow senior Gauahar Khan not to touch him during a task, because he has a girlfriend. “You can’t be touching me, I have a girlfriend at home,” he said with a smile on his face.
Following Bigg Boss 13, Sidharth and Shehnaaz appeared in a number of hit music videos, including the popular Bhula Dunga. Shehnaaz also took part in the reality show Mujhse Shaadi Karoge, in which she was to find herself a husband. However, she claimed that she was in love with Sidharth and could not forge a connection with any of her suitors.
Previously on Bigg Boss 14, evicted contestant Sara Gurpal teased Sidharth about Shehnaaz. “On behalf of the Punjab audience,...
Sidharth Shukla was seen telling fellow senior Gauahar Khan not to touch him during a task, because he has a girlfriend. “You can’t be touching me, I have a girlfriend at home,” he said with a smile on his face.
Following Bigg Boss 13, Sidharth and Shehnaaz appeared in a number of hit music videos, including the popular Bhula Dunga. Shehnaaz also took part in the reality show Mujhse Shaadi Karoge, in which she was to find herself a husband. However, she claimed that she was in love with Sidharth and could not forge a connection with any of her suitors.
Previously on Bigg Boss 14, evicted contestant Sara Gurpal teased Sidharth about Shehnaaz. “On behalf of the Punjab audience,...
- 10/21/2020
- by Shweta Ghadashi
- GlamSham
Al Gouna Film Festival (Gff) has announced the program details of its 3rd edition, to take place in El Gouna, Egypt September 19–27.
Following the screening of a video showing the most important guests and artistic events of the past editions, the Egyptian actress, Injy El Mokkaddem, acting as moderator, asked the founder of El Gouna, an engineer named Samih Sawiris about his goals and dreams for Gff. Sawiris replied: “The festival was born successful since the first edition, and God helped us! As a film lover, I attend the majority of international festivals, and I hear how they talk about Gff, as if it has been present for many years.” Sawiris continued by requesting from the media not to pour all their efforts into the red carpet events, as the Festival will also be packed with other events and activities of great importance.
See videos of Al Gouna Film Festival’s last editions here.
Following the screening of a video showing the most important guests and artistic events of the past editions, the Egyptian actress, Injy El Mokkaddem, acting as moderator, asked the founder of El Gouna, an engineer named Samih Sawiris about his goals and dreams for Gff. Sawiris replied: “The festival was born successful since the first edition, and God helped us! As a film lover, I attend the majority of international festivals, and I hear how they talk about Gff, as if it has been present for many years.” Sawiris continued by requesting from the media not to pour all their efforts into the red carpet events, as the Festival will also be packed with other events and activities of great importance.
See videos of Al Gouna Film Festival’s last editions here.
- 9/2/2019
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
1984: Ryan's Hope's Johnny & Maeve Ryan faced bad news.
1985: General Hospital's Anna set up a "game" with Robin.
1988: Days of our Lives' Eve was a cover girl. 2000: All My
Children's Leo & Greelee were stuck in an elevator."The best prophet of the future is the past."
― Lord Byron
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1972: On Another World, Peggy (Micki Grant) was too tired to get into an argument with Linda (Vera Moore) over Ray and Zack (Terry Alexander).
1979: On As the World Turns, Nancy (Helen Wagner) told Bob (Don Hastings) she was worried about Penny, while Sheila kissed Tom (Tom Tammi).
1984: On Ryan's Hope,...
1985: General Hospital's Anna set up a "game" with Robin.
1988: Days of our Lives' Eve was a cover girl. 2000: All My
Children's Leo & Greelee were stuck in an elevator."The best prophet of the future is the past."
― Lord Byron
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1972: On Another World, Peggy (Micki Grant) was too tired to get into an argument with Linda (Vera Moore) over Ray and Zack (Terry Alexander).
1979: On As the World Turns, Nancy (Helen Wagner) told Bob (Don Hastings) she was worried about Penny, while Sheila kissed Tom (Tom Tammi).
1984: On Ryan's Hope,...
- 10/11/2018
- by Roger Newcomb
- We Love Soaps
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