Opening of the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah

From November 30 to December 9, Jeddah, a seaside city a few kilometers from Mecca, hosts the lavish Saudi Arabian Film Festival. Bringing together a host of professionals and talents from around the world, this third edition is testament to the Kingdom’s unwavering desire to support and develop its film industry. Five years after the ban was lifted, cinema is an integral part of Saudi Arabia’s national plan, Vision 2030, to ensure a transition to a new model of economic development, more liberal and open to the world.

In Jeddah, the festivities kick off this evening with the world premiere of HWJN, directed by Yasir Al Yasir and adapted from the Saudi fantasy novel by Ibrahim Abbas. This, after a parade of stars on the red carpet, which in particular Elvis and Moulin Rouge director and producer Baz Luhrmann, is also considering a return to make his next film. He will preside over the official competition jury of 17 films (which will try to win The Hanging Gardens by Iraqi filmmaker Ahmad Yassin Al Daraji, Best Film Award 2022) together with Swedish-American actor Joel Kinnaman (Silent Night, For All Mankind, Suicide Squad), Indian actress Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire, Knight of Cups), nominated for Bafta Awards and Egyptian actress Amina Khalil (Grand Hotel) and Spanish actress Paz Vega (Sex and Lucia, OA).

The short film competition, meanwhile, will be judged by Saudi Hana Alomair, the filmmaker behind the Netflix series Whispers, Franco-Moroccan actor Asad Bouab (Ten Percent) and award-winning Turkish-German director Fatih Akin (Rheingold, Fading). The festival will also pay tribute to the huge Indian star Ranveer Singh, actor Diane Kruger and Abdullah Al-Sadan, the Saudi actor and screenwriter.

Official competition:

• Son of Inshallah Amjad Al Rashid (Jordan/Saudi Arabia/Egypt/France)

• Beyond the Mountains by Mohamed Ben Attia (Tunisia/France/Belgium)

• Nora Tawfiq from Alzaid (Saudi Arabia)

• Hiding Saddam Hussein by Halvakt Mustafa (Iraq/Norway)

• Backstage of Afef Ben Mahmoud and Khalil Benkirani (Morocco/Tunisia/Belgium/Qatar)

• Farah Nabul Teacher (Palestine/UK/Qatar)

• Humaid Alsuwaidi Dalma (United Arab Emirates)

• Mandub Ali Kaltami (Saudi Arabia)

• Six Feet on Earth by Karim Bensalah (Algeria/France)

• Dear Jassi Tarsem Singh Dhandwari (India)

• In the Fire of Zarar Khan (Pakistan/Canada)

• Wakhri (same) Iram Parveen Bilal (Pakistan/USA)

• Sunday Shokir Kholikov (Uzbekistan)

• Tiger Stripes Amanda Nell Eu (Malaysia/Taiwan/Singapore/France)

• Roxana Parviz from Shahbaz (Iran)

• Baloji Omen (Auguri) (DRC/Belgium)

• There is no such thing as evil Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Japan)

Special sessions:

• To My Son by Dafer El-Abidin (Saudi Arabia / United Arab Emirates)

• Jeanne du Barry de Maïwenn (France/Saudi Arabia)

“Arab Spectacular” section:

• Daughters of Olfa Kauter Ben Hania (Tunisia/France/Saudi Arabia/Germany)

• Hajjani Abu Bakr Shawki (Saudi Arabia/Egypt)

• Khaled El Sheikh Between Two Fires, Art and Politics by Jamal Qutb (Saudi Arabia)

• A Fever Dream by Faris Godus (Saudi Arabia)

• By Sami Naila Alkhaja ​​(United Arab Emirates/Thailand)

• Hwjn by Yasir Alyasiri (Saudi Arabia / United Arab Emirates)

• Return of Tamer Rugil to Alexandria (Egypt/France/Switzerland)

• Meshal Aljaseri Naga (Saudi Arabia)

• Amr Salama Shamarikh (Egypt)

• Yesterday After Tomorrow Abdulghani Alsaigh (Saudi Arabia)

• The Nose and the Three Eyes by Amir Ramses (Egypt/United Arab Emirates)

• I am Al-Ittihad Hamza Tarzan (Saudi Arabia)