The newly revealed films have become part of a collection of 60 additional titles disclosed in the last three weeks.
The Red Sea International Film Festival (RedSeaIFF) has introduced the Red Sea: New Vision strand, a showcase of creative prowess from both Arab and global cinema. This addition brings forth emerging talents from the small screen as well, featuring previews of four international television shows in the Red Sea: Series. Additionally, the festival aims to captivate audiences of tomorrow with a curated selection of films catering to families and children, with tickets for family screenings priced at 5 SAR ($1.33).
The festival will be running from November 30 to December 9 in the Red Sea port of Jeddah.
The Red Sea: New Vision strand will present six films, including the World Premiere of Iraq’s Invisible Beauty by Jurgen Buedts and Sahim Omar Kalifa, a poignant exploration of the life of Iraqi photographer Latif Al Ani. The lineup also includes In The Shadow Of Beirut by Garry Keane and Stephen Gerard Kelly, Ireland’s foreign-language Oscar entry, offering a cinematic journey into one of the world’s toughest slums. Muhannad Lamin’s documentary Donga, Abdelhai Laraki’s Fez Summer ’55, Liana & Renaud’s The Sea and Its Waves, and Thien An Pham’s Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell, winner of the Camera d’Or for Best First Film at Cannes, complete the diverse selection.
Antoine Khalife, Director of Arab Programmes & Film Classics for Red Sea International Film Festival, said: “We hold a special attachment to the Red Sea: New Vision section. These are our cinematic favourites—films with a different, creative, original, and, above all, unique cinematographic language. Filmmakers delve into strong themes, whether it’s the quest for a new country, the lost beauty of a country, the struggle of women for an independent and robust country, or the revolution in a country led by its young citizens for a brighter future. This rich cinematographic language contributes significantly to making Arab cinema more vibrant and uniquely compelling.”
In the Red Sea: Series, the festival turns its attention to the small screen, offering previews of four new television shows. This includes the World Premiere of Ashfaq Carim and Gokhan Deniz’s docu-series South Africa Eats, exploring the diverse cuisines of the Rainbow nation, Nima Javidi’s The Actor, Ghazaleh Golbakhsh’s Miles From Nowhere, and Lee Jung-Gon’s Korean thriller The Deal.
Addressing the younger audience, the families and children strand aims to engage and inspire with five new films. Highlights include the World Premiere of Damien Hauser’s inspiring Kenya-set fable After the Long Rains, Cynthia Sharaihay’s Saleem, Mohammad Hamzei’s heartfelt drama Captain, Benoît Chieux’s Sirocco Et Le Royaume Des Courants D’air, and Farzad and Kianoush Dalvand’s animated Three Little Kungpoo Goats.
Kaleem Aftab, Director of International Programming for Red Sea International Film Festival, added: “Children have always been at the heart of our festival. Witnessing their excited attendance as they arrive on buses, at the red carpet, bringing their joy and expectation, and then discovering the films we selected for them brings us boundless joy. For that, we aim for this cinematic experience to be unforgettable by choosing enchanting films and international gems.
“It is crucial, both for us and the children, to show how to tolerate, be open, and to foster an understanding of and acceptance of everyone’s differences. Through all the films selected, the Red Sea Film Festival is a home for both the young and old alike to create a space of integration, collaboration, and openness.”
Tickets for all film screenings at the Red Sea International Film Festival can be purchased on the RedSeaIFF website.
