The El Gouna Film Festival moved from ceremony to screenings on day two. Beginning with Mona Zaki’s masterclass. In the evening, Festival Plaza screened the opening film, All About Corinne. A red-carpet premiere of Yesterday the Eye Didn’t Sleep followed. Meanwhile, Armani Beauty, the festival’s official beauty partner, held an event with its own red carpet.
Mona Zaki Opens Up in “Beyond Stardom”
The masterclass took place at 4 PM in the CineGouna Theater. Director Mohamed Yassin moderated. A day after receiving her award, Zaki returned to the ceremony’s emotional moments. She also spoke again about fear and its psychological dangers. She also credited her inner circle for her support.
Then she traced the start of her career. She recalled being introduced to acting through the project “Bil-Arabi al-Fasih”. That experience, she said, opened her eyes to new aspects of the craft. She also looked back on her work with several well-known directors. Her time beside Ahmed Zaki came up too, along with how he had an incredible ability to shift between characters.
On writing, Zaki explained what makes a screenplay great. According to her, a few key sentences make a scenario stand out. She also spoke about her husband, actor Ahmed Helmy, describing both the husband and the artist. The session ended with a surprise. Hussein Fahmy, president of the Cairo International Film Festival, joined her on stage spontaneously. He praised her work and told her the show was hers, not his.
Festival Plaza by Day and Night
Festival Plaza also brought together the festival’s public-facing energy, with guests and visitors moving between screenings, gathering around partner spaces and enjoying the evening atmosphere. As the night progressed, attention shifted to the red carpet, where the second screening added a touch of ceremony to the open-air setting.
The Opening Film: All About Corinne
At 7 PM, Marc Fitoussi’s All About Corinne screened as the official opening film. Isabelle Huppert plays Corinne Maclou, a background actress with ambitions far beyond the frame. When she befriends a celebrated actress played by Sandrine Kiberlain, she sees a chance at a breakthrough. The film runs 113 minutes. Notably, it recently sold to a US distributor, according to Deadline.
Red Carpet: Yesterday the Eye Didn’t Sleep
The red carpet welcomed Rakan Mayasi’s Yesterday the Eye Didn’t Sleep. The Palestinian director’s debut premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section in May and was nominated for the Caméra d’Or. Set in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, it follows two sisters offered as brides to settle a tribal dispute.
Mayasi shot the film without a script and with non-professional actors. He drew on his grandmother’s story of being married at 14. He also trained with Abbas Kiarostami and Béla Tarr. The 100-minute film competes in the festival’s Feature Narrative Competition.
The Armani Beauty Event
Armani Beauty is the festival’s official beauty partner, making its El Gouna Film Festival debut. The brand provides makeup for celebrity guests and red-carpet appearances. On Friday, the brand held an event with its own red carpet. Armani Beauty also has a presence at Venice, Berlin, and San Sebastián.
More on the Day-Two Schedule
Other highlights filled the programme. Rossellini’s Rome Open City screened at noon as part of the festival’s tribute. Yellow Letters played at 1:30 PM, followed by the competition title My Notes on Mars at 4 PM. All of a Sudden screened at 6:30 PM. In addition, the Displacement Film Fund Program ran at 5 PM. CineGouna Funding sessions also began and will run until October 22.
The festival has a record 10 Arab films this year. Its Window on Palestine programme returns for a fourth year. Moreover, Swiss-Iraqi filmmaker Samir presides over the documentary and Green Star juries.
What’s Next
Saturday brings The Actor’s Choice panel at 10:30 AM. Amina Khalil, Salma Abu Deif, Amir Al Masry, Yasmina El Abd and Aseel Omran take part. Gender of the Box Office follows at 3 PM. In the evening, The Return of Captain Kabonga Red Carpet and screening at Festival Plaza.
