By This October at the 8th El Gouna Film Festival, the iconic Cate Blanchett will be celebrated with the Champion of Humanity Award. The honor reflects her tireless advocacy for refugees and displaced people. As a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, she continues to champion dignity and hope. A fitting tribute to both her artistry and compassion
Cate Blanchett will be Guest of Honor at the 8th El Gouna Film Festival (GFF), taking place October 16–24, 2025 in El Gouna, Egypt
She will receive the Champion of Humanity Award, given to her in recognition of both her cinematic achievements and her humanitarian work, in particular on behalf of refugees and displaced people
Besides acting, she has been a UNHCR Global Goodwill Ambassador since 2016, using her platform to highlight the stories and struggles of those uprooted by conflict or crisis. She has visited refugee camps and hosted communities in countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, Bangladesh, South Sudan, Niger, and Brazil
Her filmography is also part of the reason: from her breakthrough as Queen Elizabeth I in Elizabeth, to powerful roles in Blue Jasmine, TÁR, and many others. She is also involved behind the scenes — for example through her production company Dirty Films
Context: El Gouna Film Festival 2025 — Theme & Programming
•Theme for 2025: “Cinema for Humanity”. The festival is emphasizing films and conversations around humanitarian issues, including forced displacement, food security, etc
•There is a partnership with the United Nations and the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development to highlight urgent social issues
•One of the specific programs under this theme is “3eish” (Bread), a short film competition in collaboration with the World Food Programme, focused on social challenges
•The festival will host a CineGouna Forum session featuring a dialogue led by Cate Blanchett, moderated by UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Raya AbiRached
•A tribute will also be paid to the legendary Egyptian filmmaker Youssef Chahine — it’s the 100th anniversary of his birth
