Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival postponed due to conflict between Israel and Hamas – The Hollywood Reporter

El Gouna Film Festival date change

Provided by ElGounaFilmFestival.com

Egypt’s 6th El Gouna Film Festival, which was scheduled to open on Friday, has been postponed for two weeks following escalating violence between Israel and Hamas and a rising civilian death toll.

“In view of the extremely worrying circumstances that have resulted in the loss of innocent lives, the management of the El Gouda Film Festival has taken the decision to postpone the festival from October 27 to November 2, 2023. ” said in a statement.

“The GFF team remains committed to organizing the festival, taking this opportunity to strengthen and amplify our core theme, ‘Cinema for Humanity.’ This theme champions unity and empathy. We are committed to weaving that into all of our festival activities.”

The move comes days after Palestinian terrorist group Hamas reportedly launched a surprise attack from Gaza, killing more than 1,000 Israelis and kidnapping more than 100 others. In response, Israel declared a siege of Gaza and launched a bombing campaign that has reportedly killed more than 800 Palestinians.

“We also understand the weight of the current situation and the importance of collective thinking, and we strongly believe in the deep power of film to bring people together. Providing a space for healing, understanding and solidarity to prevail.” It is important that we do so,” added the statement from El Gouna, which will go on hiatus in 2022.

“Our commitment to showcasing the impactful work of talented young people and highlighting the transformative nature of film remains unwavering. We sincerely thank everyone for their understanding as we navigate this difficult time. .”