Red Sea Film Foundation celebrates Saudi storytelling at Saudi Film Festival
Red Sea Fund to grant two awards of $6662.69 each for Development and Production categories.
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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Broadcast Pro
3 hours ago
- Broadcast Pro
Saudi Film Commission highlights talent at Annecy Animation Film Festival
The film festival provides a platform for creative collaboration, co-production opportunities and professional dialogue. The Saudi Film Commission is taking part in the Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2025, held from June 8 to 14 in Annecy, France—the event dedicated to animation. This participation underscores Saudi Arabia's growing presence in the global animation landscape and reflects its ambition to become a leading voice in the international film and creative industries. Representing the Kingdom at the festival is a delegation from the Commission, accompanied by a selection of Saudi filmmakers specialising in animation. These individuals were chosen based on their professional activity, expertise in the field, and the animated works they produced during 2024. Their presence aims to foster cross-cultural collaboration and highlight the creative potential of Saudi talent on an international stage. Through its participation, the Commission seeks to strengthen engagement with the global animation community, promote Saudi animation across European markets, and ensure that national creators benefit from the festival's diverse training programmes and networking opportunities. The initiative is also aligned with broader efforts to expand the Kingdom's animation sector by enhancing distribution and exhibition avenues and cultivating an environment conducive to creative growth. As the Annecy festival serves as a key platform for artistic exchange, co-productions, and professional dialogue, the Saudi Film Commission views this engagement as a strategic step toward forging international partnerships. These collaborations are expected to play a vital role in developing the local animation industry and advancing Saudi Arabia's cultural economy on the global stage.
Sharjah 24
6 days ago
- Sharjah 24
SAF announces Autumn 2025 progs, launch of 2 initiatives
The season includes the 2025 editions of Perform Sharjah, Sharjah Film Platform and Focal Point—the Foundation's annual film festival, performance programme, art book fair in addition to music events. Internationally, recent and new work by artist Mounira Al Solh is on view in her mid-career solo exhibition at The Bonnefanten, Maastricht, co-organised by Sharjah Art Foundation, from 7 June 2025 to 11 January 2026. The exhibition will be on view in Sharjah in 2027. Singing Wells' Sharjah Biennial 16 project Sonic Inheritances, commissioned by Sharjah Art Foundation and Bergen Assembly, will be on view at the 5th Bergen Assembly, Norway (11 September–9 November 2025). Stephanie Comilang's Search for Life II, commissioned by TBA21, Sharjah Art Foundation and The Vega Foundation, is on view in CARA, New York, until 10 August 2025. Additionally, premiering at the Festival d'Avignon in July is Laaroussa Quartet by Selma and Sofiane Ouissi supported by Sharjah Art Foundation and the presentation of Magec / The Desert by Radouan Mriziga co-produced by the Foundation. These performances will be presented at Perform Sharjah's upcoming season in Autumn 2025. Exhibition programme Afra Al Dhaheri The autumn season begins with the first institutional solo show of Afra Al Dhaheri. The exhibition invites the audience to reflect on the textures and rhythms of temporality by focusing on the artist's mixed media works which experiment with repetition, layering and accumulation. Leda Catunda Marking the first major solo exhibition of artist Leda Catunda in the region, this presentation brings together a vibrant selection of her haptic works from the 1980s to the present. Catunda's practice crafts together readymade graphics, fabrics and everyday items. Co-organised with Halle für Kunst Steiermark, Graz, the exhibition will travel to Austria in June 2026. Rachid Koraïchi Spanning five decades of his practice, this major survey traces artist Rachid Koraïchi's ongoing exploration into signs and symbols from a diverse range of languages and cultural traditions, through multifaceted installations inspired by the legacy of Islamic mysticism. Works from the Sharjah Art Foundation Collection For the first time since its restoration, Kalba Ice Factory, the Foundation's east coast venue, hosts a large-scale presentation of works from the Sharjah Art Foundation Collection. New openings Photography gallery and Al Majarrah Park November marks the launch of two landmark initiatives. In Al Manakh, the Foundation opens a new photography gallery housed in a repurposed former telecommunications building. The inaugural presentation features a wide-ranging selection of photographs from the Foundation's collection. Simultaneously, Al Majarrah Park, adjacent to Rain Room Sharjah, will open to the public following its transformation by the artist collective Superflex in close collaboration with Schul landscape architects, and local residents. Annual events Perform Sharjah Sharjah Art Foundation's performing arts season returns this October with the fourth edition of Perform Sharjah, expanding its presence across the cities of Sharjah and Khorfakkan. With a diverse lineup reflecting and celebrating Sharjah's rich cultural fabric, the season will create shared experiences to connect people through art in familiar and unexpected spaces. Sharjah Film Platform 8 The eighth edition of Sharjah Film Platform, the Foundation's annual festival of independent cinema and experimental filmmaking, includes the UAE premieres of a selection of films nominated by an international committee, all of which will compete for the Sharjah Film Platform Awards. Focal Point Sharjah Art Foundation's annual art book fair showcases independent bookmaking from around the world. A critical space for knowledge-sharing and community building, the fair features a compelling selection of printed material by cultural producers who expand and experiment with the medium of publishing. It also includes workshops for print and design enthusiasts. Music programme Sharjah Art Foundation is organising listening sessions and gatherings for the local community as well as concerts, workshops and talks. Sharjah will welcome a diverse group of musicians, who will perform and share their experiences of both traditional and experimental musical forms. A conference on maritime music from the Western Indian Ocean is also planned for the end of the year. Two book projects will be launched during Focal Point. More details will be available closer to the dates of the events.
Broadcast Pro
03-06-2025
- Broadcast Pro
Saudi Film Commission highlights national cinema at SXSW London
As part of its participation the commission will screen a selection of short Saudi films under the Saudi Film Nights initiative. The Saudi Film Commission has participated in the first-ever European edition of the South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival, which is taking place in London until June 7, 2025. The event, known for gathering leading professionals across the creative industries, offers a global platform for innovation and collaboration through a wide range of programming, including film and TV screenings, exhibitions, panel discussions, live performances and networking opportunities, according to a report by Saudi Press Agency. As part of its contribution, the Commission will present a curated programme of short Saudi films under the 'Saudi Film Nights' initiative, designed to introduce international audiences to Saudi storytelling and support the global visibility of emerging national talent. In addition, the Commission will host a panel discussion titled 'Empowering the Film Industry in Saudi Arabia: From Vision to Reality.' The session will delve into cinema's role in shaping national identity, preserving heritage, and advancing Saudi content as a powerful cultural tool. Inside the Saudi pavilion, visitors will find an exhibition highlighting the achievements of the Kingdom's burgeoning film industry. Featured works include films that have achieved notable box office success, been selected for international film festivals, or received global accolades—emphasising the sector's rapid growth and increasing international recognition. The Saudi Film Commission will be joined by several other creative bodies within the Kingdom, including the Music Commission, the Culinary Arts Commission, the Fashion Commission, and MOCX, offering a comprehensive display of Saudi Arabia's diverse cultural expressions. This collaborative presence at SXSW London reflects the Film Commission's strategic efforts to elevate the Kingdom's profile in global cinema, foster cross-cultural dialogue, and position Saudi Arabia as a leading creative hub in the region.
