Meet the Jury of GFF 2026’s Feature Narrative Competition
A great film can stay with you long after the credits roll, but deciding which one deserves the top prize is a whole other story. For the Feature Narrative Competition at GFF 2026, the jury brings together filmmakers, actors, and a composer whose work spans different cultures, genres, and cinematic traditions.
From British indie cinema to Egyptian screen legends and award-winning Iraqi-Kurdish filmmaking, here’s a closer look at the people who will be deciding which stories stand out.
Joanna Hogg, United Kingdom – Jury President
If you appreciate films that sit with you long after you’ve watched them, Joanna Hogg is a name worth knowing. One of Britain’s most distinctive filmmakers, she has built a reputation for intimate, quietly observant stories that explore relationships, memory, and the complicated business of being human. Her films include Unrelated (2008), The Souvenir (2019), The Souvenir Part II (2021), and The Eternal Daughter (2022).
Beyond leading the jury, Hogg will also give a GFF 2026 masterclass titled Life into Film, offering audiences a chance to hear more about how real experiences find their way onto the screen.
Nahed El Sebai, Egypt – Actress
Nahed El Sebai has never been one to shy away from challenging roles. The Egyptian actress has made her mark through performances that tackle difficult subjects, including the landmark film 678 (2010), which explores sexual harassment in Egypt, and Yousry Nasrallah’s Baad el mawkeaa (2012).
She also starred in 19 B (2022), further showcasing her range across Egyptian cinema. In 2016, she won the Best Actress Award at the Cairo International Film Festival for Yom lel-Sittat. With a career built around bold choices and emotionally layered performances, she brings an actor’s eye to the jury.
Khaled Hammad, Egypt – Music Composer
Sometimes, a film’s music tells you how to feel before a character even says a word. Egyptian composer Khaled Hammad knows exactly how powerful that can be. With a career spanning more than three decades, he has composed scores for a wide range of Egyptian films, from the comedy Dehk, we Leab we Gad we Hob(1993), starring Omar Sharif, to Short w Fanela w Cap (2000), Film Sakafi (2000), Africano (2001), and Amir El Zalam (2002).
His credits also include the acclaimed Omaret Yacoubian (2006) and Alfustan Alabyad (2024), which screened at GFF. His experience brings a different perspective to the competition, one that pays attention to how sound and music shape the emotions of a story.
Shawkat Amin Korki, Iraq – Director
Iraqi-Kurdish filmmaker Shawkat Amin Korki has spent much of his career exploring the lives of people caught in difficult social and political circumstances. His films include Crossing the Dust (2006), Kick Off (2009), and Memories on Stone (2014), which examine life in Iraq through deeply personal stories.
His more recent feature, The Exam (2021), premiered at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where it won the FIPRESCI Prize, and was selected as Iraq’s submission for the 2023 Academy Awards. Korki’s work offers a perspective shaped by the realities of his region, making him a valuable voice on a jury tasked with recognising stories that resonate beyond their immediate settings.
Yeşim Ustaoğlu, Turkey – Director
Turkish filmmaker Yeşim Ustaoğlu has built an impressive body of work around identity, displacement, and the relationships that shape our lives. Her films often explore the personal side of wider social realities, bringing a human touch to subjects that can otherwise feel distant or abstract.
Her credits include The Trace (1994), Journey to the Sun (1999), Waiting for the Clouds (2004), Somewhere in Between (2012), and Clair Obscur (2016). Her 2026 feature, What Remains, is also screening at GFF this year, giving festival audiences the chance to experience her work while she helps evaluate the competition.
A Jury Bringing Different Perspectives to the Screen
What makes a film award-worthy? Is it a fearless performance, a story that challenges how we see the world, or the music and images that stay with us afterwards? With this year’s Feature Narrative Competition jury, there is no single answer.
These five creatives approach cinema from different angles, bringing together decades of experience across acting, directing, and composing. And with films that span countries, generations, and storytelling styles, GFF 2026’s competition is in the hands of a jury well equipped to appreciate just how many ways there are to tell a compelling story.
