In the Souk area, six exhibitors will offer activities, including MBC, Telfaz11, Nstars, Effat University, SAIP, and MAD Celebrity.
The Red Sea International Film Festival will hold the Red Sea Souk and Talent Days programme from December 8 to 11, 2021. The programme will welcome a global network of creators and industry professionals to share knowledge and facilitate partnerships.
The Red Sea Souk’s project market will open with a pitch presentation of 23 projects in development including 12 Red Sea Lodge projects and 11 Red Sea Souk projects, and five films still in post-production will also be screened.
The programme will include a series of masterclasses, screenings, networking with local and international filmmakers and executives alongside a dedicated market for exhibition booths promoting companies, commissions and institutions from around the world.
All films in the Red Sea Souk will be deliberated on by two separate juries. The Project Market Jury will consist of Saudi poet and Festival director Ahmed Almulla, American producer Alix Madigan, and German producer Thanassis Karathanos, while Festival director Alex Moussa Sawadogo, Palestinian filmmaker Annemarie Jacir, and French filmmaker Ladj Ly make up the Works-in-Progress Jury. More than $700,000 will be awarded to the projects selected in the Red Sea Souk Awards with funds provided by the Red Sea Fund as well as generous industry sponsors.
The Souk’s market screenings will showcase seven films selected by the festival with the aim to support securing international distribution. The Souk Talks will feature a series of workshops, panels, and masterclasses held by major key industry speakers aimed at the professionals of the industry, in addition to industry networking sessions that will bring together industry guests and Souk participants.
In partnership with MBC Group TV’s Creative Community Collaboration (CCC), the festival will launch its Talent Days Programme which runs from December 12-13, aimed at emerging filmmakers in the region.
Talent Days presents a range of bespoke workshops aimed at creatives working within the field of art and moving image. Panel discussions will feature a diverse group of filmmakers to discuss and debate the changing landscape of the film industry and explore key concepts and trends.
The panel discussions will also address some misconceptions around film and take a thoughtful look at the local film industry’s recent past, present, and future. The programme will also feature masterclasses hosted by MBC Academy and Ithraa, along with a special screening of Wael Abu Mansour’s ‘Carnival City’ followed by a Q&A discussion moderated by Khalid Rabei.
Zain Zedan, Red Sea Souk Manager said: “We are very excited to reveal all the projects, awards, industry events and activities and welcome Saudi and international industry delegates for the first edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival. The Red Sea Souk and Talent Days Programme are the beating heart of the festival and provide a crucial platform for our local talent and broaden the horizons of aspiring Saudi film enthusiasts to elevate the Saudi film industry.”
Six exhibitors including MBC, Telfaz11, Nstars, Effat University, SAIP, and MAD Celebrity will host engaging activities in the Souk area. From live auditions to live animation and lighting exercises in between, the Talent Days Programme will essentially transform the Souk area into a space of exploration and creativity, with exhibitors’ services ranging across the spectrum of film production, distribution, education, and law.
