A young Egyptian filmmaker has gained international fame with his first feature film Yomeddine. The film talks about one man's journey to find his family, after years of being outcasted for being a leper. Yomeddine has made it the Cannes competition and is now Egypt's choice for the Oscars foreign film entry. Here is Adel EL Mahrouky with more.  

EL Gouna Film Festival has dedicated a special red carpet ceremony on Friday for a remarkable film, Youmeddine.

It's the first Egyptian film that makes it to the Cannes in six years. And a rare case where a first feature film makes it to the famous French festival and many other international film events.

ABO BAKR SHAWKY DIRECTOR, 'YOMEDDINE' "The film was already a high risk to do. I'm a first-time filmmaker, the producer is a first-time filmmaker. The main actors are non-actors, the theme of leprosy, foreign language, film set in Egypt, all of these things are very high risk for someone with very little money to make a film like this. So, at this point, we are just happy with the film and happy to show it to the world."

YOSRA EL LOZY ACTRESS "I read that it has Francois Chalet prize in the Cannes and I know it's about Leprosy which is a very sensitive topic especially about Egypt. So I think it's a film that is worth seeing."

The film tells the story of a 40-year-old man who had Leprosy. After living all his life in Egypt's Leper camp, marginalized and secluded from the whole country, the garbage collector decides to hit the road to search for his family roots.

On this improvised journey, the social stigma of the disease he once had chases him, while he teaches the people he encounters about Leprosy.

RADY GAMAL ACTOR, 'YOMEDDINE' "I joined the film because it tells people what Leprosy is. People don't know that at a certain point, it's no longer contagious. That people who used to have it, are happily married and have healthy children, who are doctors and engineers, good people who live among us in the camp. I am in this film to make a difference."

ABO BAKR SHAWKY DIRECTOR, 'YOMEDDINE' "I was very fascinated by the idea of the underdogs. Somebody who is trying to fight all the odds in order to get what he wants. And having it about a leper who travels Egypt it was just like a fascinating world to me."

The marks which the disease left on Rady's face may have made people fear him all his life; after Youmeddine though, these same marks are attracting fans, as he becomes a world known actor. Egypt has officially selected the film for the Academy Awards foreign film entry this year. During the Gouna film festival Youmeddine's director will receive the Variety MENA best talent of the year award.

ADEL EL MAHROUKY EL GOUNA, EGYPT "On its premiere screening night in EL Gouna Film Festival, More than a thousand tickets for Youmeddine have been completely sold out in just few hours. And still scores of people are waiting at the box office with hopes that more tickets could be released. Everyone wants to watch the movie that made it to the Cannes and might be part of the Oscars. AMA CGTN EL Gouna."