Red Sea Film Foundation celebrates Saudi storytelling at Saudi Film Festival
As part of its ongoing mission to support the rapidly growing film industry in Saudi Arabia, the Red Sea Film Foundation has taken part in the 11th edition of the Saudi Film Festival, running until April 23, 2025, at the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture (Ithra) in Dhahran.
Through its flagship initiative, the Red Sea Fund, the Foundation is awarding two competitive cash prizes—each worth SAR 25,000—for standout Saudi film projects in the Development and Production categories. These awards reflect the Foundation's broader commitment to nurturing emerging talent and elevating high-quality filmmaking across the Kingdom.
This year's festival will spotlight three films supported by the Red Sea Fund in its official competition lineup: Hobal by Abdulaziz Alshlahei, Songs of Adam by Oday Rasheed, and My Driver and I by Ahd Kamel. In addition, two Saudi short films, AFEN by Nawaf Alkinani and Hello My Dear by Ahmad Salam, will be featured outside the competition, offering audiences a chance to experience a wide range of creative voices fostered through the Foundation's support.
Demonstrating its leadership in strengthening the national film ecosystem, the Red Sea Film Foundation is also hosting a booth at the festival's Production Market. Staffed by representatives from its key programmes—Red Sea Souk, Red Sea Labs and the Red Sea Fund—the booth serves as a resource for filmmakers seeking financial, educational and production-related guidance at all stages of their cinematic journey.
Since its establishment in 2019, the Foundation has played an active role in both local and international film festivals, spearheading a range of initiatives in production, distribution, education and training. These efforts are central to the Foundation's mission of cultivating a new generation of filmmakers and building a sustainable and globally competitive film industry across Saudi Arabia, Africa and Asia.
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