As a seasoned film enthusiast with a knack for recognizing talent and potential, I find myself thoroughly impressed by the lineup of projects presented at this year’s Red Sea International Film Festival. The sheer diversity of stories, cultures, and voices represented here is truly a testament to the power of cinema as a universal language.
This year’s Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia has revealed 38 feature film projects and, for the first time, TV series projects for the Red Sea Souk Project Market. The organizers are emphasizing that these projects demonstrate a persistent dedication to showcasing daring storytelling and fresh voices in cinema.
2019’s chosen works showcase “a wide variety of stories and skill from around the world,” featuring seven series, according to the statement. The projects chosen are the result of the annual development program at the Red Sea Labs, which takes place within the Lodge in collaboration with TorinoFilmLab and is funded by Film Alula.
This year, the Souk broadened its scope significantly by inviting filmmakers from Asia to submit their work for the first time. As a result, approximately a quarter of all submissions came from this continent, a change from previous years when it only accepted entries from African and Arab directors.
A global team of evaluators assessed the entries, and the ultimate choices were made by a specialized selection board. Each selected project will receive personalized guidance for pitches prior to the market event, helping creators to be ready for opportunities to link up with prospective collaborators and financiers.
The Souk continues to champion talent by inviting back filmmakers Asmae Al Moudir, Sofia Alaoui, and Halkawt Mustafa, whose films were shown at the 2023 Red Sea International Film Festival. They will showcase their upcoming projects during the 2024 festival,” organizers announced.
Highlighted Red Sea Souk Director Holly Daniel stated, “This year’s chosen Red Sea Souk Project Market projects truly reflect our dedication to promoting a variety of voices and viewpoints. By expanding our Project Market to encompass all of Asia for the first time, this year’s 38 selected projects showcase some of the most innovative talent and stories from both continents.
‘Blue Card,’ courtesy of RSIFF
The chosen initiatives are eligible for both the Red Sea Souk and Red Sea Labs Awards, along with additional partner awards yet to be announced. These honors provide financial assistance throughout a project’s journey – from development, production, and post-production phases – and exclusive support for projects within Lodge and SeriesLab.
Check out the full list of projects below.
THE SERIESLAB PROJECTS
B’itha, By Noorah Al Eidi & Shehreyar Ahsan
Saudi Arabia
Saria Othman Needs No Man, By Eshtephan Khattar & Hiba Louis
Lebanon
Pazuzu, By Ali Kareem & Dania Altayeb
Iraq, Saudi Arabia
Generation A, By Mona Ombogo & Louise Kamwangi
Kenya
Switch, By Nathan Magoola & Lucky Lora Atwine
Uganda
Cold Case-One (Pullukandam Murder Case), By Nithin Lukose & Hari Kirishnan
India
Shani Bazaar, By Karan Kabir & Nitin Koul
India
THE RED SEA SOUK PROJECTS-IN-DEVELOPMENT
DO RE MIMI, by Fatima Al-Banawi
Fiction
Saudi Arabia
FAROUK, by Halkawt Mustafa
Documentary
Iraq, Norway
HAVEN OF HOPE, by Seemab Gul
Debut, Fiction
Pakistan
HOLY COW (working title), by Asmae El Moudir
Fiction
Morocco
IT’S OKAY, I’M ONLY HUMAN, by Karim Ghorayeb and George Peter Barbari
Documentary
Lebanon, France
LA PYRAMIDE, by Cj ‘Fiery’ Obasi
Fiction
US, Brazil, Senegal, UK, Nigeria
MOTHER MAYBE, by Sonny Calvento
Fiction
Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan R.O.C.
ROBBING BEIRUT by Katia Jarjoura
Debut, Fiction
Lebanon, France
TAHMINA by Aboozar Amini
Fiction
The Netherlands, Canada, Afghanistan, Germany
In Solitude, I Roam as a Pale-Skinned Gamer: A Narrative by Baloji Tshiani
THE SEA WAS ONCE BLUE by Mohamad El-Hadidi
Debut, Fiction
Egypt, France
WATCH IT BURN by Makbul Mubarak
Fiction
Indonesia
THE LODGE PROJECTS
ASSA, A FISH IN A BOWL, by Dahlia Nemlich
Debut, Fiction
Lebanon
BLUE CARD, by Mohammed Alomda
Debut, Fiction
Sudan, Egypt
I DIDN’T SIGN UP FOR THIS, by Lana Komsany
Debut, Fiction
Saudi Arabia
HADD, by Jamal Kutbi
Debut, Fiction
Saudi Arabia
CLOSE ROSE CLOSE, by Rulan Hasan
Debut, Fiction
Saudi Arabia
I’LL SMILE IN SEPTEMBER, by Aakash Chhabra
Debut, Fiction
India
JAYSAN, by Aisha Sultanbekova
Debut, Fiction
Kyrgyzstan
THE SILENT ONES, by Jawahine Zentar
Debut, Fiction
Morocco
PEPO KALI, by Lydia Matata
Debut, Fiction
Kenya
TARFAYA, by Sofia Alaoui
Fiction
Morocco
TERBAKAR, by Shelby Kho
Debut, Fiction
Indonesia, Singapore
MANJANO, by Omar Hamza
Debut, Fiction
Kenya
THE RED SEA SOUK WORKS-IN-PROGRESS
A Front-Runner Emerges from the Outset, by Zhannat Alshanova
ALLAH IS NOT OBLIGED, by Zaven Najjar
Debut, Animation
France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Canada
DANDELION’S ODYSSEY, by Momoko Seto
Debut, Animation
Japan, France, Belgium
FUXI, by Qiu Jiongjiong
Fiction
Taiwan / Hong Kong
GURIA, Levan Kougashvili
Fiction
Georgia, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Türkiye
MEMORY OF PRINCESS MUMBI, by Damien Hauseu
Fiction
Switzerland, Kenya
VAGABONDS, by Amartei Armar
Debut, Fiction
Ghana
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2024-11-14 14:25