The first Red Sea International Film Festival was a confident step for Saudi Arabia to establish Jeddah as a global destination for cinema. In its second year, the festival is back with significantly more star power, an extensive international program and a new venue.
The festival, which runs through December 10, opened at The Ritz-Carlton on Thursday.
Several Arab and international stars attended the red carpet event including Oscar-nominated Lebanese director Nadine Labaki, US actress Sharon Stone, Indian star Priyanka Chopra, Saudi filmmaker Haifaa Al Mansour, American actress Michelle Rodriguez , actor Andy Garcia and Lebanese-Tunisian actress Nadine Njeim, Lebanese actor George Khabbaz, Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore, South Korean actress and singer Park Hye-soo and Indian actress Freida Pinto.
Also present were all members of the Red Sea jury, including Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone, Egyptian actress Nelly Karim, Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania, Georgian filmmaker Levan Koguashvili and Palestinian actor Ali Suleiman, as well as members of the Red Sea : Short’s jury, Lebanese filmmaker Joana Hadjithomas, Saudi director Shahad Ameen and Nigerian actor Ozzy Agu.
At the opening ceremony, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, Egyptian actress and singer Yousra and British director Guy Ritchie were presented with the Yusr Honorary Golden Award for their contribution to cinema.
The festival opened with the romantic comedy What Does Love Have To Do With It, directed by Kapur.
“Red Sea International Film Festival is now more important than ever, a clear indicator of change and playing a crucial role in transforming and reshaping the future for our next generation of creatives,” said Mohammed Al Turki, Managing Director of the Festival Opening.
“We have a unique opportunity to bring new films to a wider audience, showcase the work of exciting new voices and make a meaningful contribution to Saudi culture and the wider region. We look forward to welcoming film lovers, storytellers, talent and industry experts from around the world to our second edition in Jeddah, which I hope will exceed expectations.”
The program includes 131 films and shorts from 61 countries by established and emerging talent. Almost three dozen films celebrate their world premiere at the festival. There will also be 17 Arabic premieres and 47 Mena premieres, with many films featuring a range of filmmakers and actors.
The Red Sea: Competition will showcase the highest creative achievements of filmmakers in the Red Sea Feature and Shorts Competition sections. The line-up of 26 short films and 15 feature films showcases an incredible diversity of talent from across the Arab, African and Asian worlds and features works produced over the past year.
The festival’s industrial marketplace platform, The Red Sea Souk, will also run between Saturday and Tuesday, offering curated events to encourage co-productions, international distribution and new business opportunities.
Last year the festival took place in the historic district of Al-Balad in Jeddah. The area’s cobblestone walkways, tall and slender palm trees and ancient coral houses provided a scenic backdrop for the festival. This year the festival will be held closer to the Red Sea.
While a majority of the screenings and events take place at The Ritz-Carlton and Vox Cinemas in the Red Sea Mall, the festival also has a new outdoor venue on the Red Sea Corniche, where select films are screened free of charge.
This section opened with Aditya Chopra’s 1995 romantic blockbuster Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, a beloved Bollywood classic that has influenced Indian pop culture for generations.
The festival also features a program of talks with luminaries such as Labaki, Spike Lee, Ben Hania, Karim, Mo Amer, Ranbir Kapoor, Antonio Banderas, Jackie Chan and Ritchie. The filmmakers and actors will expand their film careers and achievements, giving festival-goers the opportunity to hear from some of the best in the business.
“We can celebrate film, build bridges, broaden horizons, discuss, argue and criticize,” said Jomana Rashid Al-Rashed, the festival’s chair, during the opening ceremony. “We will explore cultures from the Middle East to Asia and Africa and beyond. Films that depict extraordinary lives and document fascinating journeys of change and progress.
“More specifically, you will experience the changes [happening] in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” she said. “A country with a thriving film industry that is making great strides with a young population that is creative, optimistic, confident and vocal. To keep it that way, that the film grows into a cultural hub, we will nurture and nurture the next generation of Saudis both in front of and behind the camera. [We will] Develop creative industries, promote film culture and promote filmmakers from the Arab world, Africa and Asia. That’s just the beginning.”
Scroll through the gallery below to see last year’s inaugural Red Sea International Film Festival
Updated December 02, 2022 5:43 am
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