The festival is scheduled to commence on November 30, screening the fantasy film HWJN' directed by Yasir Al-Yasiri as the opening film
As the Red Sea International Film Festival (RedSeaIFF) approaches its 2023 edition, the complete jury lineup has been unveiled, led by the renowned writer, director, and producer Baz Luhrmann. Joining Luhrmann on the Red Sea: Features jury are Swedish-American actor Joel Kinnaman, BAFTA Award-nominated actress Freida Pinto, Egyptian actress Amina Khalil, and Spanish actress Paz Vega. The Red Sea: Shorts competition will be judged by Saudi writer, filmmaker, and film critic Hana Alomair, French-Moroccan actor Assaad Bouab, and Turkish-German film director, screenwriter, and producer Fatih Akin.
Speaking about the jury members, Shivani Pandya Malhotra, Managing Director of Red Sea Film Foundation, said: “We have a cohort of immense talent in this year’s jury, representing some of the leading creators of cinema from all corners of the world – and we are thrilled to have them join us in Jeddah to participate in this year’s competition. We have the strongest programming line-up yet, so it’s no mean feat to crown the winners amongst a stand-out year of cinema and look forward to seeing the finalists celebrated at our Yusr Awards ceremony!”
The festival’s commitment to recognising cinematic excellence is further emphasised through the Red Sea: Honoree Award, acknowledging individuals who have made profound contributions to shaping the history of cinema. This year’s honorees include the Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh, German actress Diane Kruger, and Saudi entertainer Abdullah Al-Sadhan.
Mohammed Al-Turki, CEO of RedSeaIFF, added: “This year we are honouring Ranveer Singh, an icon of Hindi cinema; Diane Kruger, who has delivered us a series of unforgettable characters from Helen of Troy to Tarantino’s Bridget von Hammersmark and affected us with her powerhouse performance of the avenging Angel Katja in Fatih Akin’s In the Fade; as well as the hugely beloved Abdullah Al-Sadhan who has been a mainstay of Saudi entertainment through Tash ma Tash for two decades and will also appear in this year’s competition title Norah. We are thrilled to be recognising each of their varied and deep contributions to cinema and to have them with us for our third edition.”
The Red Sea International Film Festival, running from November 30 to December 9, will kick off with the World Premiere of the Saudi fantasy romance HWJN (2023), directed by Yasir Al Yasiri. The festival awards night will conclude with the MENA Premiere of Ferrari (2023), directed by Academy Award nominee Michael Mann and starring Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz. The festival will end on a celebratory note with a special screening of The Boy and The Heron (2023) by Hayao Miyazaki.
