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Egypt, Germany Bag Most Awards at Inaugural Hurghada Youth Film Festival

Winners at the festival pose with their awards. (Hurghada Youth Film Festival)
Winners at the festival pose with their awards. (Hurghada Youth Film Festival)
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Egypt, Germany Bag Most Awards at Inaugural Hurghada Youth Film Festival

Winners at the festival pose with their awards. (Hurghada Youth Film Festival)
Winners at the festival pose with their awards. (Hurghada Youth Film Festival)

Egypt and Germany have bagged most of the awards at the inaugural Hurghada Youth Film Festival, which concluded on Monday in a ceremony that was attended by a number of Arabic and Egyptian artists, including Hani Salama, Sulaf Fawakherji, and filmmaker Mohammed Abdelaziz.

German film “Night Guard” won the Golden Award for Best Feature Film, while the Silver Award for Best Feature Film went to French film “Sons of Ramses”, which will represent France in the Best Foreign Film category at the Oscars 2024. Egyptian film “The Abbasid History” won the Bronze Award for Best Feature Film, and Croatian filmmaker Neven Hitrec won the Best Director Award for his film “The Diary of Paulina”.

In the short film category, Egyptian film “Letter from Unknown” won the Golden award, Syrian film “Photograph” won the silver award, while the Portuguese film “Anna Morphos” won the bronze award.

The concluding ceremony celebrated the 93rd National Day of Saudi Arabia and honored the Saudi delegation that included novelist Abeer Samkari and producer Abdullah Badib.

Festival President, scriptwriter Mohamed el Bassosy said he was delighted with the success the Hurghada Youth Film Festival. “Everything I dreamed of for the first edition has been accomplished, and I hope for more in the forthcoming edition. A few months ago, no one had imagined a youth film festival in Hurghada, but today, we did it,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He revealed that preparations are underway for the 2024 edition, saying the organizers were seeking broader participation and increasing the number of guests.

Bassosy thanked actor Hussein Fahmi, president of the Cairo International Film Festival, for signing a collaboration protocol with the Hurghada Youth Film Festival.

“It was an amazing surprise, and we must thank the ministry of culture for signing an agreement with an emerging festival. According to the protocol, we will be sending a number of the Hurghada festival young participants to train at the Cairo Cinema Center, while the Cairo Festival will provide us with prominent guests and foreign films,” he said.

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Charli XCX, Lola Young and Wham's 'Last Christmas' Get Ivor Awards Nods

Charli XCX poses as she arrives for the BRIT Awards at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, March 1, 2025. (Reuters)
Charli XCX poses as she arrives for the BRIT Awards at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, March 1, 2025. (Reuters)
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Charli XCX, Lola Young and Wham's 'Last Christmas' Get Ivor Awards Nods

Charli XCX poses as she arrives for the BRIT Awards at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, March 1, 2025. (Reuters)
Charli XCX poses as she arrives for the BRIT Awards at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, March 1, 2025. (Reuters)

Charli XCX's hit album "Brat" and Wham!'s perennial festive hit "Last Christmas" are among the musical works nominated at next month's Ivors, Britain's annual awards honoring songwriters and screen composers.

Lola Young was in the lead on Wednesday with three nominations, her first from the Ivors Academy. They included one for rising star, while her single "Messy" was among the contenders for best song musically and lyrically.

Her record "This Wasn't Meant for You Anyway" is nominated for best album, alongside Charli XCX's "Brat", which inspired a cultural phenomenon last year, and singer Jordan Rakei's "The Loop".

Further nominations went to rappers Ghetts and Berwyn for their albums "On Purpose, With Purpose" and "Who Am I" respectively.

Wham's "Last Christmas", which was released in 1984 but regularly returns to the UK charts during the festive season, is nominated in the most performed work category. Its writer, late singer George Michael was last nominated at the Ivors 20 years ago.

Also nominated are Dua Lipa's "Houdini", Myles Smith's "Stargazing" and "Prada" by Casso, Raye and D-Block Europe. Harry Styles' 2022 "As It Was", nominated for a third year running, completes the most performed work category list.

After winning songwriter of the year at last year's Ivors, Raye is nominated for best song musically and lyrically for her single "Genesis". Also nominated in that category are "Child of Mine" by Laura Marling, "In the Modern World" by Fontaines D.C. and Orla Gartland's "Mine".

Best contemporary song contenders are Ghetts' "Double Standards (feat. Sampha)", Pa Salieu's "Allergy", Jade's "Angel of My Dreams", Sans Soucis' "Circumnavigating Georgia" and Bashy's "How Black Men Lose Their Smile".

Last month, organizers said Irish rockers U2 would receive the Ivors Academy Fellowship, the UK-based association's highest honor, at this year's awards, their 70th edition.

Named after the early 20th century Welsh composer, actor and entertainer Ivor Novello, the Ivor Awards were first handed out in 1956. This year's ceremony will be held on May 22 in London.