A

The Egyptian artist Bushra sparked a wave of controversy after announcing her departure from the city of El Gouna, just hours before the opening of the ninth edition of the El Gouna Film Festival, scheduled to kick off on Thursday evening on the Red Sea coast, amid questions about the reasons for her absence from the event that her name has been associated with founding and contributing to its success over the years.

Bushra revealed her decision through her official Instagram account, where she posted pictures of her leaving the city, explaining that she chose to distance herself from the festival atmosphere this year, in search of tranquility and to get some rest.

The Egyptian artist wrote: "At a time when everyone is flocking to El Gouna, I choose to leave it, and this is the new approach I am following. I decided this year to take a break from the festival to seek a space of calm and serenity."

Bushra's decision came at a notable time, given her status as one of the figures who contributed to the establishment of the festival and supported its journey, in addition to her regular attendance in previous editions and her participation in the judging panels. This led followers to question the implications of her absence this year, especially as the announcement coincided with the unveiling of the judging panels for the new edition, which sees the participation of the artist Nahed El Sebai for the first time.

Despite circulating speculations about the possibility of Bushra's departure being related to these changes, the artist did not announce any other reasons for her decision, merely confirming her desire to distance herself from the festival atmosphere and to take a period of rest.

The ninth edition of the El Gouna Film Festival will take place from October 15 to 23, 2026, under the slogan "Cinema for Humanity," featuring a selection of filmmakers from Egypt and various parts of the world.

The festival's competitions include categories for feature films, documentary films, and short films, along with a range of awards, including the "Green Gouna Star" designated for works related to environmental issues, and the two awards from the International Federation of Film Critics "FIPRESCI," and the Asian Cinema Promotion Network "NETPAC."