The Women in Cinema gala highlighted the contributions of these female talents, showcasing their significant impact on the film industry across various regions.
The Red Sea International Film Festival (RedSeaIFF) and Vanity Fair Europe celebrated the achievements of emerging female talent in the film industry at the Women in Cinema gala. This event, held during the 77th Cannes Film Festival at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cap d’Antibes, honoured six women who are reshaping the film landscape in Saudi Arabia, Africa, Asia, and the Arab world.
The Women in Cinema honorees this year include Salma Abu Deif, Ramata-Toulaye Sy, Adhwa Fahad, Aseel Omran, Kiara Advani, and Sarocha Chankimha.
Salma Abu Deif, an Egyptian actor, made her cinematic debut in 2017 with Sheikh Jackson, representing Egypt in the Best Foreign-Language Film category at the 2018 Academy Awards. She also starred in the short film I Don’t Care If the World Collapses, which was featured at the 48th Cleveland International Film Festival.
Ramata-Toulaye Sy, a screenwriter, debuted her talent with Sibel by Çagla Zencirci and Guillaume Giovanetti, and went on to write Notre-Dame du Nil by Atiq Rahimi, which won the Generation 14Plus Crystal Bear Award at Berlinale. Her first feature film, Banel & Adama, shot in the Fulani language, was selected for the official competition at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023.
Adhwa Fahad, a prominent Saudi Arabian actor, gained recognition for her role in The Tambour of Retribution, which was honoured at the 42nd Cairo Film Festival. Her Netflix hit From the Ashes and the film Within Sand, showcased at the Red Sea International Film Festival in 2022, highlight her growing influence in the Saudi film industry as both an actor and producer.
Aseel Omran, an actor and singer since 2007, has appeared in TV shows like Netflix’s Black Crows, Qabel Lil Kaser, Akoun Aw La, and What If?. Known for her performances in musical theatre, she also serves as an ambassador for L’Oreal, Dior, and the UNHCR. Aseel is the first Saudi actress to enter Egypt’s film industry and has collaborated musically with international stars, including RedOne and Jason Derulo for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Kiara Advani, an Indian actress, has starred in seven global 100-crore blockbusters. She has a lineup of upcoming projects, including Game Changer, War 2, and Don 3.
Sarocha Chankimha (Freen), a celebrated Thai actor, made her breakthrough with popular roles in Thai television dramas and films, most notably the romantic comedy series Gap.
The event was graced by the presence of Jomana R. Alrashid, Chairwoman of Red Sea International Film Foundation; Mohammed Al Turki, CEO of RedSeaIFF; and Shivani Pandya, Managing Director of RedSeaIFF. They welcomed a host of film, TV, and fashion personalities, including Uma Thurman, Eva Longoria, Yusra, Richard Gere, Asmae El Moudir, Nathalie Emmanuel, Vincent Cassel, James Franco, Lucy Hale, Ikram Abdi, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Carla Bruni, Alexa Chung, Rossy de Palma, Amy Jackson, Lucas Bravo, Naomi Campbell, and Michelle Rodriguez.
Speaking about the event, Jomana R. Alrashid said: “At the Red Sea Film Foundation, Women in Cinema goes beyond just a one night celebration, it’s an initiative at the cornerstone of the foundation and our work – to support the underrepresented yet unparalleled female voices that propel our industry to new, undiscovered heights. Since the inception of the Foundation, we have supported over 79 films from female directors and have supported over 75 female filmmakers, creators, and executives through our Red Sea Labs programmes. The future of women in cinema has never been brighter or more promising, and our honorees tonight represent the changing face of film and television.”
Mohammed Al Turki added: “The achievements of our six honourees are a testament to the drive and ambition of female storytellers everywhere. We want to highlight them as beacons of inspiration – future generations of filmmakers, actors, writers, and more will look to our honourees as role models who are changing the culture and accessibility of modern cinema. We have always supported trailblazers, with our former honouree Kaouther Ben Hania recently making history as the first Arab woman to secure two Academy Award nominations. We are excited to see where the careers of these six creators take them next!”
The fourth edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival will run in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from December 5-14.
