 recorded its highest-ever attendance of nearly 6,000 accredited visitors this year){kind=link}
Jeddah, a port city on the Red Sea, played host to one of the largest film festivals from November 30th to December 9th, 2023. This event took place in the heart of Saudi Arabia, a country that is concurrently advancing in social, political, and artistic domains. The Red Sea International Film Festival (Red Sea IFF) recorded its highest-ever attendance of nearly 6,000 accredited visitors this year.
Guests of honor, including Nicolas Cage, Jason Statham, Halle Berry, Gwyneth Paltrow, Adrien Brody, Dhafer L’Abidine, Henry Golding, Andrew Garfield, Yousra, Kaouther Ben Hania, Alia Bhatt, Mahira Khan, Saswan Badr, and Baloji, attended the closing ceremony.
“Over the past 8 days, we have welcomed the world to Jeddah and celebrated this vibrant global film community together, to bridge cultures and create new ties. We’ve done that with over 125 films from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Rwanda, Armenia, Malaysia, Pakistan, New Zealand, France, India, Thailand, and many more, as well as an industry program in the Souk with 348 project submissions and 44 works in progress from more than 26 countries. We are proud to have created a meeting place for ideas, business, and inspiration to carry us into the new year.” Jomana Al-Rashid, the Chairwoman of the Red Sea Cinema Foundation, stated.
CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation, Mohammed Al-Turki, elaborated: “Closing this edition of the festival with the MENA premiere of Michael Mann’s turbocharged biopic Ferrari, supported by the Red Sea International Film Fund, and honoring one of Hollywood’s greats – the master of his craft, Nicolas Cage – alongside the hugely deserving winners of our Yusr Awards, means we end this edition on an absolute high.”
Farah Nabulsi’s The Teacher, a British-Palestinian film, emerged as one of the most successful entries, securing two prestigious awards. The film received the Jury Award for Best Film, and its leading man, Saleh Bakri, who portrays a Palestinian educator, was named the film’s best actor. Nabulsi utilized the occasion to address the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict while accepting the award in Bakri’s stead.
Mouna Hawa was honored with the Best Actress Award for her performance in Inshallah, A Boy.Golden Yusr honors were bestowed upon the Pakistani Canadian film “In Flames” by Zarrar Kahn, and the Silver Yusr for Best Feature Film was awarded to the Indian film Dear Jassi by Tarsem Singh.
The winner of the Best Director Award, for his film Sunday, was Uzbekistani filmmaker Shokir Kholikov. Omen, directed by Baloji, was awarded for the most outstanding cinematic contribution. Karim Bensalah and Jamal Belmahi were awarded the prize for the Best Screenplay for the French-Algerian film Six Feet Over. The film follows the westernized son of an Algerian diplomat who, upon obtaining employment at a Muslim funerary home in France, is forced to confront his heritage. Hopeless, directed by Kim Chang-Hoon from Korea, was bestowed with the esteemed AlUla Audience Award.
The Golden Yusr for Best Short Film went to Somewhere in Between. Directed by Dahlia Nemlich, The Silver Yusr for Best Short Film was awarded to Suitcase, directed by Saman Hosseinpuor and Ako Zandkarimi.
The winner of the Asharq documentary was Kaouther Ben Hania for Four Daughters, and Nour Alkhadra was awarded the Chopard Rising Talent Trophy.
The Red Sea International Film Festival is held in Jeddah, where the finest films from the Arab, Saudi, and international film industries are recognized. The festival functions as a platform for a wide range of creative professionals, filmmakers, and industry authorities, including those from the Arab world and other areas.
In one of her addresses, Jomana Al-Rashid stated that the Red Film International Film Festival unites the globe through the potency and value of storytelling. Presently, the Arab world is the cinematic stage, where narratives from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia unite to facilitate global communication.
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