The second edition is slated for December 1 to 10 and hopes to bring the best in Arab and World Cinema to Jeddah.
Saudi producer Mohammed Al Turki, who was previously Chairman of the Committee for the Red Sea Film Festival Foundation, will now helm the organisation as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The Red Sea Foundation is an independent, non-profit entity dedicated to promoting film culture in Saudi Arabia.
In his new role, Al Turki will spearhead the growth of the festival, building on the success of the first edition, which brought more than 30,000 film enthusiasts and 3,155 industry professionals for a 10-day celebration of the best of global and Arab cinema.
Al Turki is an established producer with a career that spans more than 12 years in both Hollywood as well as the Arab world. The organisation hopes to tap into his experience with the industry to drive its strategic and cultural mandate to establish the festival’s position as a crucial springboard for emerging Saudi, Arab and African talent, and also carve a spot in the international festival circuit.
Al Turki’s executive leadership team includes Shivani Pandya Malthora, Managing director; Kaleem Aftab, Director of International Programming; Antoine Khalife, Director of Arab Programs & Film Classics; Samaher Mously, Director of Marketing; Emad Eskander, Head of the Fund; and Zain Zedan, Red Sea Souk Manager.
Speaking about his new role, Mohammed Al Turki, Red Sea IFF’s CEO said: “I am thrilled to be confirmed as CEO of the Red Sea Film Festival Foundation and proud to work with an incredibly talented team as we enter the next phase of our organisation. This is an exciting, transformative time where creativity plays a crucial role in the country’s cultural renaissance, with a thriving film and art scene and an extraordinary amount of young talent breaking new boundaries and producing content worthy of attention. We want to be at the forefront of navigating the changing cultural landscape, contributing to the global entertainment industry, and serving as a beacon for a new generation of creatives. I look forward to welcoming returning and new guests to Jeddah for our second edition this December.”
The Festivals’ objectives support the Kingdom’s ambitious 2030 plans to become a cinematic powerhouse and global film hub.
The Red Sea Fund is designed to support the development, production, and post-production is key to the strategy by providing year-round support to emerging talent, improving access to Arab content, and driving the potential of Arab talent on the international stage. To date, the Fund has supported 97 projects with more to be announced in the coming months. In addition, impactful initiatives such as The Red Sea Lodge, in partnership with the TorinoFilmLab offers filmmakers a ten-month creative and professional training programme.
