The initiative was discussed at the Busan Asian Contents and Film Market segment held at the ongoing Busan International Film Festival.
The Korean Film Council (KOFIC) and Neom production hub will partner for new training initiatives that are expected to kick off in December 2024, reported Variety. Spearheaded by KOFIC’s Korean Academy of Film Arts, seasoned Korean filmmakers will train a cohort of emerging Saudi Arabian talent under the initiative. An official announcement with details is yet to be released.
The announcement was made during a panel discussion held on the opening day of the Busan Asian Contents and Film Market, where other potential Saudi Arabia-Korean tie-ups were discussed too. The panel was moderated by Red Sea Film Festival programmer Kim Young-woo and comprised Ryan Ashore, director of Red Sea Labs, Rasha AlEmam, producer and CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Yellow Camel Studios, Emad Z. Eskander, head of the Red Sea Fund, and veteran Korean producer Seo Woo-sik.
During the panel discussion, AlEmam said, “The Saudis are ready to learn, and very willing to learn, and they want to take off on set and start working. So it’s a very fertile soil for us to take in education, learning, training and workshops.”
Discussing the possibility of co-productions in the future, Woo-sik said that such projects need to find a common point that would appeal to both audiences. “Take time to understand the culture and reality. Build trust. Take the time to understand each other,” he said. He also advised that Saudi talent should go to Korea to learn about new technologies and graphic design.
Further, Emad Z. Eskander, head of the Red Sea Fund Eskander announced that the Red Sea Fund, which was previously limited to Arab and African film financing, is now open to all of Asia and encouraged Korean projects to avail of Saudi Arabia’s generous incentives.
