Red Sea International Film Festival
{{short description|Film festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox film or theatre festival
|name = Red Sea International Film Festival
مهرجان البحر الأحمر السينمائي الدولي
|logo = 150px
|image =
|caption =
|opening = Cyrano by Joe Wright
|closing = 83 by Kabir Khan
|founded = 2019
|last = 2024
|awardsreceived =
|awards =
|films = 138 from 67 countries
|directors=
|producers=
|writers=
|starring=
|host = Red Sea Film Festival Foundation
|date = Opening: {{Start date|df=yes|2021|12|6}}
Closing: {{End date|df=yes|2021|12|15}}
|number =
|location = Arbaeen lagoon, Al Madinah Al Munawarah Road,
old town Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
|language = Arabic
English
|website = {{url|https://redseafilmfest.com/en/ |RSFF}}
| previous = 2023
| main = Red Sea International Film Festival
| next = 2024
}}
The Red Sea International Film Festival ({{langx|ar|مهرجان البحر الأحمر السينمائي الدولي}}) is a film festival launched in 2019 and held in Jeddah, western Saudi Arabia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/film/red-sea-international-film-festival-saudi-arabia-announces-new-jeddah-event-1.842144|title=Red Sea International Film Festival: Saudi Arabia announces new Jeddah event|website=The National|date=27 March 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-04-18}}{{Cite web|url=http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/562232/SAUDI-ARABIA/Jeddah-to-host-International-Red-Sea-Film-Festival-in-2020|title=Jeddah to host International Red Sea Film Festival in 2020|date=2019-03-28|website=Saudigazette|language=English|access-date=2019-04-18}} The festival mainly focuses on new storytelling trends, as well as emerging talents from Saudi Arabia, the Arab world and the rest of the world.{{Cite web|url=https://www.abouther.com/node/18376/people/events/2020-jeddah-planning-host-first-ever-international-red-sea-film-festival|title=By 2020, Jeddah Is Planning To Host the First-Ever International Red Sea Film Festival|date=2019-04-02|website=About Her|language=en|access-date=2019-04-18}} The festival looks at establishing a solid foundation for the film industry in Saudi Arabia that may contribute to diversifying the income of the country.{{Cite web|url=http://live.saudigazette.com.sa/article/562232/SAUDI-ARABIA/Jeddah-to-host-International-Red-Sea-Film-Festival-in-2020|title=Jeddah to host International Red Sea Film Festival in 2020|date=2019-03-28|website=Saudigazette|language=English|access-date=2019-05-15}} The first edition of the festival was held in the old town of Jeddah from 6 December to 15 December 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/film/saudi-arabia-s-red-sea-film-festival-announces-dates-and-major-appointments-releases-trailer-1.880151|title=Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Film Festival announces dates and major appointments, releases trailer| newspaper=The National |date=28 June 2019 | location=UAE |language=en|access-date=2019-07-07}} The second edition of the festival was held between 1 and 10 December 2022, and featured the best films from Saudi Arabia, the region and a curated selection of titles from around the world.{{Cite web|url=https://www.zawya.com/en/press-release/events-and-conferences/the-2nd-edition-of-the-red-sea-international-film-festival-announces-the-opening-of-its-box-office-b8wfbphe|title=The 2nd edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival announces the opening of its Box Office| newspaper=Zawya | location=UAE |language=en|access-date=2022-11-05}}
History
The Red Sea International Film Festival was established in 2019, as a plan to revive Saudi cinema. Originally scheduled to launch in March 2020, it was cancelled due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. It inaugurated its first edition in November 2021, with the selection of Joe Wright's Cyrano.
Organization
The festival is organized and operated by the Red Sea Film Festival Foundation, a non-profit cultural organization registered in Saudi Arabia. The Foundation is chaired by Jomana Alrashid; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Saudi Research and Media Group – SRMG.{{Cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/saudi-arabia-launches-red-sea-international-film-festival/5138083.article|title=Saudi Arabia launches Red Sea International Film Festival|last=GOODFELLOW|first=Melanie|website=Screen|language=en|access-date=2019-04-18}}
Festivals
= 2021 edition =
The first edition of the festival opened on 6 December 2021 with Joe Wright's Cyrano at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 138 films from 67 countries were screened at the festival, which included 16 films in competition section.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/11/red-sea-international-film-festival-lineup-cyrano-mgm-netflix-full-list-1234870465/|first=Nancy|last=Tartaglione|title=Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Film Festival Sets Inaugural Lineup; Joe Wright's 'Cyrano' Opens, Netflix's 'The Lost Daughter' Among Program – Full List|date=9 November 2021|access-date=6 December 2021|website=Deadline}} It closed on 15 December with the world premiere of Kabir Khan's film 83.{{Cite web|url=https://www.variety.com/2021/film/news/red-sea-film-festival-83-ranveer-singh-deepika-padukone-1235121063/|first=Naman|last=Ramachandran|title=Ranveer Singh's '83' to Close Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Film Festival – Global Bulletin|date=29 November 2021|access-date=6 December 2021|website=Variety}} The event came after several boycott calls by the critics, who warned that the Saudi authorities were attempting to divert the international attention from the country's poor human rights records. The Kingdom was being accused of using culture to whitewash its image at a global level. One of the critics said that without freedom of speech, the festival descended into propaganda.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/11/critics-condemn-saudi-film-festival-as-a-whitewash|title=Saudi film festival is a 'whitewash' by authorities, say critics|access-date=11 December 2021|newspaper=The Observer|date=11 December 2021|last=Graham-Harrison|first=Emma}}
;Red Sea Competition
- Brighton 4th, dir: Levan Koguashvili
- Communion, dir: Nejib Belkadhi
- PAKA (River of Blood), dir: Nithin Lukose
- Huda's Salon, dir: Hany Abu-Assad
- Soula, dir: Salah Issaad
- Europa, dir: Haider Rashid
- Yuni, dir: Kamila Andini
- Saloum, dir: Jean Luc Herbulot
- Rupture, dir: Hamzah Jamjoom
- Rehana Maryam Noor, dir: Abdullah Mohammad Saad
- Hit the Road, dir: Panah Panahi
- Life Suits Me Well, dir: Al Hadi Ulad-Mohand
- Neighbours, dir: Mano Khalil
- Farha, dir: Darin J Sallam
- Sharaf, dir: Samir Nasr
- The Alleys, dir: Bassel Ghandour
{{Award category|#eedd82|Best Film}}
- Best Film: Brighton 4th by Levan Koguashvili – Georgia, Russia, Bulgaria, USA, Monaco.
{{Award category|#eedd82|Best Director}}
- Best Director: Europa by Haider Rashid – Iraq, Italy, Kuwait
- Jury Prize: Hit the Road by Panah Panahi – Iran
- Best Actor: Adam Ali for Europa – Iraq, Italy, Kuwait
- Best Actress: Arawinda Kirana for Yuni – Indonesia, Singapore, France, Australia
- Best Saudi Film: Rupture by Hamzah K. Jamjoom – Saudi Arabia
- Audience Award: You Resemble Me by Dina Amer – Egypt, France, U.S.
- Immersive Silver Yusr: Samsara by Hsin-Chien Huang – Taiwan
- Immersive Gold Yusr: End of Night by David Adler – Denmark, France
- Short Competition Golden Yusr: Tala’Vision by Murad Abu Eisheh – Jordan, Germany
- Special Mention: Farha by Darin J. Sallam – Jordan
- Best Cinematic Contribution: Amin Jafari for Hit the Road – Iran
- Best Screenplay: Neighbours by Mano Khalil – Syria, Switzerland
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://redseafilmfest.com/en/}}
{{Portal|Saudi Arabia}}
Category:2019 establishments in Saudi Arabia
Category:Film festivals established in 2019
Category:Film festivals in Saudi Arabia
Category:Annual events in Saudi Arabia
Category:Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cinema
Category:Tourist attractions in Jeddah
{{Saudi Arabia-stub}}