The fourth edition of the Hurghada Youth Film Festival will be hosted at the newly reopened Hurghada Cultural Palace from 10 to 15 September, marking a significant milestone for both the festival and the cultural landscape of Egypt’s Red Sea Governorate.
The festival will be held under the patronage of Culture Minister Dr. Jihan Zaki and Red Sea Governor Dr. Walid Abdel Azim El Barqi, following the official reopening of the cultural complex after an extensive redevelopment programme.
Hesham Attwa, Chairman of the General Authority for Cultural Palaces, described the venue as one of the authority’s most important cultural assets, noting that the facility has undergone comprehensive renovations covering its administrative building, activity halls and main theatre. The upgraded theatre now accommodates 850 spectators, making it one of the largest cultural theatres in Upper Egypt and the Red Sea region.
Attwa said the reopening forms part of a broader strategy by the Ministry of Culture and the Red Sea Governorate to modernise cultural infrastructure and expand access to artistic and creative activities.
New Chapter for the Festival
Festival President and screenwriter Mohamed El Bassiouni said the reopening of the Cultural Palace would strengthen the festival’s engagement with local audiences and provide an ideal platform for expanding its activities.
The venue will host the opening and closing ceremonies, film screenings, industry workshops and discussions with honoured guests and filmmakers. Training programmes will cover screenwriting, cinematography and directing, alongside professional seminars aimed at nurturing emerging talent.
El Bassiouni added that the new venue would facilitate direct interaction between filmmakers, actors and audiences in Hurghada, helping to deepen public engagement with cinema and support aspiring filmmakers from the Red Sea region.
Beyond an Annual Festival
Festival Director Kadri El Hagar described the reopening of the Cultural Palace as a transformative moment for the event, noting that organisers had anticipated the venue’s completion throughout the festival’s first three editions.
He said the upgraded facility would become the festival’s permanent home and allow the introduction of new activities, including public screenings followed by discussions with filmmakers.
Organisers also announced plans to establish the Hurghada Festival Cinema Club, ensuring that workshops, seminars and film-related activities continue throughout the year rather than being limited to the festival period.
The initiative is expected to strengthen Hurghada’s growing role as a cultural destination, while supporting efforts to develop young filmmaking talent and expand access to cinematic arts beyond Egypt’s traditional cultural centres.
Related news:
Hurghada Festival Honors Mohamed Khan with Al-Harief
Why Cairo Film Connection’s Sundance Partnership Matters for Arab Documentary Cinema
Read also:
Putin Signals Ukraine Conflict Could Be Entering Final Phase
