Red Sea International Film Festival: Introducing The Brilliant Female Minds Behind The Inaugural Event
Putting female empowerment at its heart, the 10-day festival celebrates the role of women in filmmaking on the Kingdom’s soil
Saudi producer and Chairman of the Red Sea International Film Festival Committee Mohammed Al-Turki was asked about the role of women in the inaugural edition of the festival during the press conference announcing the event’s official agenda. He confidently answered: “Women empowerment in the Red Sea Festival is not just talk, but a reality we are working to achieve.”
Mohammed made this statement while standing between two women who hold leadership positions in the Festival Committee; Managing Director Shivani Pandya and Director of Marketing & Communications, Samaher Mously.
In the midst of Saudi cinema’s growing prosperity and the hosting of the first-ever international film festival in Historic Jeddah on the Red Sea Coast, the role of women in the film industry is no longer neglected but highlighted to shine as it always should.
Supporting young Saudi talents, the awaited inaugural edition of the Red Sea Festival will screen a special project of five short films made by female Saudi directors Hind Al-Fahhad, Jawaher Al Amri, Noor Al Ameer, Sara Mesfer, and Fatima Al-Banawi. These talented women represent several regions of the Kingdom, including Makkah, Al Ahsa, Madinah, Jeddah, and Riyadh, as they depict women’s stories in these various communities.
Narrating the tales of these women might one form of empowerment, but the Red Sea Festival isn’t stopping there. The event will also honour women’s efforts in Saudi cinema with a special recognition of the first female Saudi director Haifaa Al Mansour, who broke the glass ceiling to establish women’s status in the Saudi film industry. Haifaa directed Wadjda, the first feature film to be shot entirely in Saudi Arabia. Wadjda gained worldwide recognition and earned a nomination for the Best Foreign Film at the BAFTA Awards.
The festival will also honour Egyptian actress Laila Elwi who has starred in more than 70 films, such as Osama Fawzy’s Baheb Al-Cima (2004), Raafat El-Mihi’s Kalil Men Al Hob Katheer Men Al Onf (1995), and Khaled El Hagar’s Hob Al-Banat (2004). Laila continues her illustrious cinematic career with her latest film, 200 Geneh (2021). The star will also share her experiences in the industry with the new generation through a lecture on acting to be delivered during the Red Sea Film Festival.
Continuing the march of empowerment, the festival will host forums on acting and filmmaking and conduct panel sessions presenting prominent women in the industry at the regional and global levels, most notably Egyptian actress Yousra and Tunisian actress Hend Sabry.
Harking back to the first time we watched Wadjda, which tells the story of a little girl whose dream was riding a bicycle, we recall the feelings of joy we had when her dream came true at the end of the film. We are now looking forward to another dream; one where we can see leading international filmmakers celebrate the role of women in filmmaking on the Kingdom’s soil.
The Red Sea International Film Festival will take place in Historic Jeddah starting December 6, 2021.
Images courtesy of Red Sea International Film Festival
From Harper’s Bazaar Saudi’s Winter Issue