The Red Sea International Film Festival kicked off its first session on Monday evening, with films from 67 to 138 countries, within the open air and entertainment program that filmmakers and fans have been waiting for for nearly two years in Saudi Arabia. The World Heritage Site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization “UNESCO”, where the programs last 10 days.

Sharjah 24 – Reuters:

The Red Sea International Film Festival kicked off on Monday evening, with its first session screening 138 films from 67 countries.

The festival was scheduled to take place in March 2020, but was prevented by the world-wide corona epidemic, and after setting November as the date for the founding session, it was postponed to December.

In 10 days, the activities of the festival will take place in the historic Jetta called “Al-Balad” and will be added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

The ceremony, which raised the slogan “Waves of Change”, also honored French actress Catherine Deneuve, Saudi director and producer Haifa Al-Mansour, Egyptian actress Laila LV and French Jack Long, head of the Arab World Institute in Paris.

Despite its modernity, the festival attracted a large number of artists, as well as a bouquet of newly produced Arabic and foreign films, including Palestinian director Honey Abu Assad’s “Hooda Salon” and Moroccan director Nabil Ayoch’s “Ali Your Voice”. “Godwa” by Tafar El Abidin of Tunisia and “The Last Daughter” by American Maggie Gillenhall.

Entitled “Interactive Cinema”, the project is dedicated to films made using virtual reality technology, including about 20 films from the Jameel district, which is Jetta’s new creative complex.

In parallel to the film screening, the festival (The Red Sea Market) is organized from December 8th to 11th with the aim of stimulating co-production and supporting the international distribution of films.

On December 12 and 13, the festival will host an event dedicated to Saudi and Gulf directors, producers and writers entitled “Talent Days” with the aim of supporting and refining the new generation of young filmmakers.

About 3 years after the launch of the first International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia, the country has reopened its theaters and created several companies to promote the entertainment industry, including the Saudi Film Authority, which was established in February last year.

The opening ceremony was hosted by actor Jacob Al-Farhan and director Fatima Al-Banawi, and featured British director Joe Wright’s music film (Cirno) and starring Peter Dinglage, Hayley Bennett and Kelvin Harrison Jr.