The El Gouna Rising Stars 2026 lineup has arrived, and it offers a clear snapshot of where Arab cinema is heading next. Announced by Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival, the latest cohort brings together five emerging creatives whose work spans documentary, fiction, animation, digital storytelling, cinematography and producing across the MENA region.
Part of the festival’s CineGouna Emerge initiative, the program is designed to champion promising voices from the Arab world and place them directly inside one of the region’s most influential film industry platforms. This year’s selected talents are Egyptian director Abdallah Dnewar, Saudi writer-director Razan AlSoghayer, Palestinian filmmaker Omar Rammal, Palestinian Jordanian director-producer Asmahan Bkerat and Syrian cinematographer, editor and director Rama Abdi.
What Is El Gouna Rising Stars 2026?
The El Gouna Rising Stars 2026 program is the third edition of an initiative launched in 2024 to elevate the next generation of MENA film professionals. Rather than operating as a separate talent lab, the scheme is integrated into the wider CineGouna industry ecosystem, which includes:
- Forum conversations and talks
- Funding project showcases
- Market activity
- A growing focus on series and screen storytelling
That integration matters. It means participants are not simply being introduced as newcomers; they are being recognized at a moment when their projects are already gaining serious traction on the festival circuit and in the global film conversation.
Festival leadership emphasized that the initiative is about visibility, connection and timing. The filmmakers are expected to join panels, attend industry events, engage with media and participate in red carpet activities, all while building relationships with financiers, collaborators and programmers.
Meet the El Gouna Rising Stars 2026 Cohort
Abdallah Dnewar
Cairo-based Abdallah Dnewar has built a multifaceted profile across production, development and creative leadership. He produced the acclaimed animated short My Brother, My Brother, which screened in Rotterdam, as well as Khufu, selected in Locarno. He has also worked as a script consultant on several short films, underlining his wider contribution to Egypt’s emerging filmmaking ecosystem.
Dnewar currently serves as Head of Specials at Egyptian media company Zest, where he oversaw the Eish Short Film Competition, a collaboration involving El Gouna Film Festival and the United Nations World Food Programme. His inclusion in El Gouna Rising Stars 2026 reflects both his artistic credentials and his growing influence behind the scenes.
Razan AlSoghayer
Based between Saudi Arabia and the Netherlands, Razan AlSoghayer is gaining attention for intimate storytelling rooted in everyday experience. Her work explores womanhood, friendship, memory, patriarchy and the tension between tradition and transformation in Saudi society.
Her debut short Son Of Badriyah is screening at this year’s festival, giving her a timely platform within El Gouna Rising Stars 2026. AlSoghayer’s voice stands out for its emotional precision and its ability to capture social change through personal, character-driven narratives.
Omar Rammal
West Bank-born Omar Rammal represents a compelling bridge between digital-native storytelling and independent cinema. His visual language and human-centered approach have generated massive reach online, with hundreds of millions of views across platforms.
In 2026, he drew major acclaim with Everyday in Gaza, which won Best Short Documentary at Italy’s David di Donatello awards. His fiction short Kentucky Gaza also continues to travel, arriving at El Gouna for its MENA premiere after debuting in the International Competition at Clermont-Ferrand. With a first feature now in development, Rammal may be one of the most commercially and artistically versatile names in El Gouna Rising Stars 2026.
Asmahan Bkerat
Palestinian Jordanian filmmaker Asmahan Bkerat has quickly become a notable documentary voice focused on displacement, identity and cultural heritage. Her debut feature documentary Concrete Land premiered at Locarno and went on to win the Insights Audience Award at the Vancouver International Film Festival.
The film has since enjoyed sold-out screenings in London and continues a significant festival journey that includes Dok Leipzig, IDFA and Doha. Beyond directing, Bkerat is producing the documentaries If These Stones Could Talk and Landwards, while also developing her next feature. Her selection for El Gouna Rising Stars 2026 underscores the growing international appetite for socially rooted Arab documentary filmmaking.
Rama Abdi
Damascus-based Rama Abdi began her filmmaking career in 2018 and has worked across commercial, journalistic and cinematic productions. Her range as a camerawoman, editor and director gives her a technical and narrative versatility that is increasingly valuable in today’s screen industries.
After directing the short Fish Dance in 2022, she is now developing her first feature documentary, House Number 7, which is also being presented in the CineGouna Funding project showcase. In that sense, El Gouna Rising Stars 2026 is not just honoring Abdi’s promise; it is actively helping move her next project forward.
Why This Program Matters for Arab Cinema
The significance of El Gouna Rising Stars 2026 goes beyond a list of promising names. It reflects a wider shift in Arab filmmaking, where regional creators are increasingly reaching global festivals, cross-border co-production markets and international audiences without sacrificing local specificity.
Several trends stand out in this year’s selection:
- Documentary and fiction are both thriving across the Arab world.
- Hybrid career paths are becoming common, with filmmakers working across digital media, journalism, commercial production and cinema.
- Personal storytelling remains powerful, especially when tied to identity, memory, displacement and social change.
- Festivals now act as career accelerators, not just screening venues.
By embedding filmmakers into its wider industry program, El Gouna is positioning itself as more than a showcase. It is functioning as a connector between talent, funding, exposure and long-term career development.
What to Watch Next
For industry observers, El Gouna Rising Stars 2026 offers an early look at directors and producers likely to shape upcoming festival seasons and future Arab screen culture. From award-winning Gaza-set documentary storytelling to Saudi coming-of-age perspectives and Syrian nonfiction filmmaking in development, the cohort demonstrates both diversity of craft and coherence of purpose.
Expect these names to surface again in international competition lineups, project markets, streamer acquisitions and regional co-production conversations.
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Conclusion
The El Gouna Rising Stars 2026 announcement is more than a festival sidebar; it is a meaningful indicator of the Arab world’s creative future in film and screen storytelling. With five filmmakers already making waves through acclaimed shorts, documentaries, development slates and cross-platform work, El Gouna Rising Stars 2026 confirms that the region’s next major voices are not just emerging—they are already being heard.
