DUBAI/ CAIRO: The fifth edition of the El Gouna Film Festival in Egypt will proceed as planned, organizers said Wednesday, after a blaze ripped through the site’s main hall just one day before the event was set to kick off.
“GFF extends its gratitude to the Civil Defense Forces and the Red Sea Governorate for their immense help in extinguishing the fire that took place earlier this morning in one section of the Festival Plaza. It’s important to note that the 5th edition of GFF will proceed as planned,” read a statement from the Chairman of Orascom Development Holding Samih Sawiris.
Statement from the Chairman of Orascom Development Holding Eng Samih Sawiris:
“The 5th edition of the El Gouna Film Festival will proceed as planned.”
GFF extends its gratitude to the Civil Defense Forces and the Red Sea Governorate for their immense help… pic.twitter.com/b6ybBbSpTQ
— El Gouna Film Festival (@ElGounaFilm) October 13, 2021
Sawiris said in an Instagram Story, recorded by a celebrity photographer known as Rashad Studios, that the fire was a result of a short circuit in one of the stores near the main venue.
Images shared on social media earlier in the day show the structure engulfed in flames.
The festival plaza caught fire a few minutes ago. The other festival locations are fine. #gff21 #gff #elgouna @ElGounaFilm pic.twitter.com/GKXpxl2DFL
— may rostom (@MayRostom) October 13, 2021
The fifth edition of the film festival is set to take place in the resort town from Oct. 14-22 after being postponed by a month last year due to COVID-19.
No injuries have been reported.
El Gluna Film Festival plaza caught fire pic.twitter.com/Wkqwwb3VkK
— Daily News Egypt (@DailyNewsEgypt) October 13, 2021
This is a developing story.