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DUBAI: Australian actress and producer Cate Blanchett will be honored at the eighth edition of Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival (GFF), set to run from Oct. 16 to 24. 

She will serve as this year’s guest of honor and will receive the Champion of Humanity Award.

“From her iconic roles in ‘Elizabeth,’ ‘Blue Jasmine’ and ‘TÁR,’ to her remarkable collaborations with the world’s most celebrated directors, Cate Blanchett has left an indelible mark on global cinema,” an Instagram post by the festival read.  

“Beyond her artistry, she continues to champion urgent humanitarian causes as a UNHCR Global Goodwill Ambassador, echoing the festival’s guiding vision: ‘Cinema for Humanity,’” the statement added. “To honor her work in centering the voices of refugees and those forcibly displaced, Blanchett will be receiving the Champion of Humanity Award by El Gouna Film Festival.”

Blanchett is also known for her stage work, having served as co-artistic director of the Sydney Theatre Company, and she is the co-founder of Dirty Films, a production company behind several award-winning film and television projects.

Beyond her work as an actress and producer, Blanchett has served as a Global Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, since 2016. 

In this role, she has used her platform to raise awareness on refugee issues and encourage support. She has visited refugee camps and host communities in countries including Jordan, Lebanon, Bangladesh, South Sudan, Niger and Brazil to meet displaced people and highlight their circumstances. 

In 2018, she received the Crystal Award at the World Economic Forum in recognition of her efforts.

Amr Mansi, founder and executive director of GFF, said in a statement: “It is an immense honor to welcome an artist of Cate Blanchett’s caliber to the El Gouna Film Festival. Her unparalleled talent has captivated audiences for decades, and her dedication to humanitarian causes through her work with UNHCR is truly inspiring.

“The partnership with UNHCR and the Sawiris Foundation, including her visit, perfectly embodies our festival’s core mission of using the power of cinema to drive positive change and support humanity,” he added. 

DUBAI: Actors Ambika Mod, Daisy Ridley and Morfydd Clark will take part in a table read of “Pride and Prejudice” in London to raise money for Medical Aid for Palestinians next month. 

The event is being arranged by the Cinema for Gaza group and will be hosted by stand-up comedian, television presenter and podcaster Nish Kumer.

Set to take place on Oct. 12, other celebrities involved include Jameela Jamil, Susan Wokoma, Mawaan Rizwan, Priya Kansara, Amar Chadha-Patel, Jeff Mirza, Shazia Mirza and Asim Chaudhry, with more names to be announced according to organizers. It has been billed as a “fun and imaginative tribute to Austen’s enduring tale,” being directed by “We Are Lady Parts” creator Nida Manzoor.

“It is the 250th anniversary of Austen’s birth as we lift the curtain on a single man with a large fortune in want of a wife,” reads the event’s description. “Roll up to witness the unsuspecting Mr. Bingley going toe-to-toe with the Bennett family, as Mr Darcy puts his foot in his mouth every time he encounters the vexing, intriguing Elizabeth Bennett. Enjoy withering wit, some top-notch repressed flirting, and hard-won happy endings.”

According to Cinema for Gaza, “every penny raised on the night will go directly to Medical Aid for Palestine’s lifesaving work, including their polyclinic in Gaza, which is continuing to operate despite Israel’s bombardment, siege, and forced displacement orders.”