Red Sea International Film Festival Is Accepting Submissions for 4th Edition  

Red Sea International Film Festival Is Accepting Submissions for 4th Edition  
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Red Sea International Film Festival Is Accepting Submissions for 4th Edition  

Red Sea International Film Festival Is Accepting Submissions for 4th Edition  

The Red Sea International Film Festival is still welcoming submissions for its fourth edition.

The festival extends an invitation to filmmakers from Saudi Arabia, the Arab world, Asia, and Africa to submit their films for the Red Sea: Competition and the Red Sea: Shorts Competition sections, along with the New Saudi/New Cinema section, which aims to showcase the talents and cinematic creativity of Saudi filmmakers.

The deadline for submissions is August 22.

Films participating in the event will vie for the prestigious Yusr Awards, including the Red Sea Golden Yusr Award for Best Film in Competition, which offers a cash prize of $100,000. Other accolades include Best Direction, the Jury Prize, and Best Short Film.

The forthcoming edition of the festival is scheduled to run from December 5 to 14 in Al Balad, Jeddah. It will provide diverse opportunities for emerging directors and filmmakers to present their work.

The festival remains a focal point for film enthusiasts, creators, and industry experts worldwide, featuring prominent film screenings.

The festival delves into rediscovering timeless masterpieces and restored works through experimental, audio-visual narratives that defy norms and blend reality with fantasy.



German City Renamed ‘Swiftkirchen’ for Taylor Swift Concerts Gets 1,400 Bids for the Signs

Schoolgirl Aleshanee Westhoff shows a "Swiftkirchen" town sign in honor of musician Taylor Swift in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (dpa via AP)
Schoolgirl Aleshanee Westhoff shows a "Swiftkirchen" town sign in honor of musician Taylor Swift in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (dpa via AP)
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German City Renamed ‘Swiftkirchen’ for Taylor Swift Concerts Gets 1,400 Bids for the Signs

Schoolgirl Aleshanee Westhoff shows a "Swiftkirchen" town sign in honor of musician Taylor Swift in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (dpa via AP)
Schoolgirl Aleshanee Westhoff shows a "Swiftkirchen" town sign in honor of musician Taylor Swift in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (dpa via AP)

The German city of Gelsenkirchen, which temporarily renamed itself “Swiftkirchen” before the American superstar played three concerts there in mid-July, said Wednesday it received about 1,400 bids from Germany and abroad for signs it put up with the name.

The new name was one of a flurry of fan attractions around the concerts on July 17, 18 and 19. The city then held an auction for 20 original “Swiftkirchen” signs.

The highest offer was 3,000 euros ($3,245), and the 20 highest bidders will be informed by email, the city said in a statement, adding that a total sum for the auction will be announced once all payments have been received. It said one of the winning bids came from outside Germany, but didn't specify where.

The proceeds will go to a center for girls, a food bank for children and a shelter for women in Gelsenkirchen.

Another “Swiftkirchen” sign is now on display at Germany's museum of post-World War II history in Bonn, the Haus der Geschichte, the city said.

A former coal mining city, Gelsenkirchen is one of Germany's poorest. It's known for the soccer team Schalke, a traditional heavyweight currently in the second division, and its stadium, which sometimes attracts international entertainers like Swift.