Khaberni - Menna Shalabi expressed her immense joy at being honored at the El Gouna Film Festival, emphasizing that receiving the award from the star Yousra was a very special moment in her artistic career.
In her statement to "Al Ain News," Menna said, "Yousra means a great deal to me, and being honored by her felt like a second honor because she is a major symbol and being honored by her is very precious to my heart."
Menna added, laughing about the behind-the-scenes moment: "I was scared during the award ceremony that the dress might unravel even more," humorously referring to an incident she faced on stage while receiving the award.
The eighth edition of the El Gouna Film Festival kicked off on Thursday, October 16, 2025, featuring more than 70 distinctive international and Arab films.
The El Gouna 2025 festival serves as a major platform for connecting Arab filmmakers with their international counterparts, providing opportunities for collaboration and exchange, in addition to supporting the film industry and discovering new talents that enrich the artistic scene.
The eighth edition of the El Gouna Film Festival 2025 will run from October 16 to October 24, under the theme "Cinema for Humanity." The festival continues its role in enhancing cultural and artistic dialogue between peoples, and supporting humanitarian and community issues, by showcasing more than 70 films from various countries around the world, including feature-length films, documentaries, and shorts.
The ceremony will be broadcast exclusively on "Al Nahar" channel, which owns the official broadcasting rights within Egypt, to cover the opening and closing events, as well as the press conference and the festival throughout its duration. The broadcast will also be available on the channel's official social media pages and the El Gouna Film Festival pages on "Facebook," "Instagram," and "YouTube."
The eighth edition will witness a notable presence of global star Cate Blanchett, a two-time Oscar winner and a goodwill ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency, who will participate in a panel discussion led by media personality Raya Abirached, as well as attending her honoring ceremony and receiving the "Hero of Humanity" award.
