At this year’s El Gouna Film Festival, Jonathan Millet’s gripping thriller “Ghost Trail,” which depicts the struggles of Syrian exiles in France, clinched the Golden Star for narrative film.
The awards ceremony, marking the conclusion of the festival’s seventh edition, also recognized Julien Colona’s “The Kingdom” and Shuchi Talati’s “Girls Will Be Girls” with the Silver and Bronze Star awards, respectively. The event took place in the picturesque resort town of El Gouna from October 24 to November 1.
In addition to its narrative award, “Ghost Trail” earned Adam Bessa the best actor accolade for his compelling performance. The El Gouna Star for best Arab film was awarded to Laila Abbas for her comedy “Thanks for Banking With Us!” which delves into Islamic Sharia Law, along with Meryam Joobeur’s poignant drama “Who Do I Belong To,” focusing on a Tunisian family passing the challenges of their son’s difficult return from war.
In the documentary category, Farah Kassem’s “We Are Inside” was honored with the Golden Star for documentary film, while Johan Grimonprez’s “Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat” and Silje Evensmo Jacobsen’s “A New Kind of Wilderness” received the Silver and Bronze Stars, respectively.