Based in the coastal resort city on the Red Sea, the El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) was launched in 2017 to showcase a diverse selection of films for a passionate and knowledgeable audience and to foster better communication between different cultures through filmmaking. The festival hosts the CineGouna platform — a creative and business hub that supports Arab talents through various meetings with industry key names, as well as organizing workshops, panels, masterclasses, film markets, project development, and co-production platforms.

CineGouna Rebranding: The seventh edition of the GFF rebranded CineGouna to reflect the development of its programs. CineGouna Funding, previously known as CineGouna SpringBoard, now headed by film critic Ahmed Shawky, continued its role as a vital source of financial support for Arab film projects in development and post-production. CineGouna Forum, formerly known as CineGouna Bridge, continued to provide valuable industry discussions, masterclasses, and workshops. In addition to these changes, other CineGouna programs, such as Emerge and Market, retained their names while expanding their activities to better serve the industry.