Red Sea Int’l Film Festival Celebrates ‘Women in Cinema’ Once Again

Mohammed al-Turki and Nabilah Ebeid (RedSeaIFF)
Mohammed al-Turki and Nabilah Ebeid (RedSeaIFF)
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Red Sea Int’l Film Festival Celebrates ‘Women in Cinema’ Once Again

Mohammed al-Turki and Nabilah Ebeid (RedSeaIFF)
Mohammed al-Turki and Nabilah Ebeid (RedSeaIFF)

In celebration of female voices in film, the Red Sea International Film Festival (RedSeaIFF) hosted its annual “Women in Cinema” gathering in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah on Friday.

The event included a large turnout of global stars such as Katrina Kaif, Naomi Campbell, and Sharon Stone.

The ceremony also witnessed the honoring of Egypt’s first screen icon, Nabila Ebeid.

The accolade presented to Ebeid marked a pinnacle in her achievements for the current year.

Ebeid, an artist who achieved unprecedented box office success in the eighties and nineties, received this recognition as a testament to her enduring impact on the film industry.

Moreover, Ebeid expressed profound joy at receiving this honor.

Despite confining her remarks to a brief thank-you on the platform, she joined her fellow actresses in what she dubbed a “dance of joy” during the event, which was enlivened by the performance of Lebanese singer Nancy Ajram.

Notable Arab figures, including cinematic icons such as Yousra, Yasmin Sabri, Amina Khalil, Nadine Njeim, and others attended the event.

The event, organized by the RedSeaIFF and Vanity Fair Europe, didn’t overlook the presence of these esteemed Arab personalities.

It is noteworthy that the annual event brings together key players in the heart of the film industry to celebrate the wise talents of women, both in front of and behind the camera, from around the globe.

The festival continues to support the film industry in addressing and finding solutions to global challenges through a robust year-round program dedicated to supporting Arab, Asian, and African women in cinema.

The aim is to enhance the professional lives of women working in the film industry, empowering a new generation of talented and creative storytellers.

The festival plays a crucial role in ensuring the widest possible audience for women’s stories and providing a platform to amplify their voices.



King Charles Thanks Medics for His and Kate’s Cancer Care

Britain's King Charles, Queen Camilla, Britain's William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte walk to attend the Royal Family's Christmas Day service at St. Mary Magdalene's church, as the Royals take residence at the Sandringham estate in eastern England, Britain December 25, 2024. (Reuters)
Britain's King Charles, Queen Camilla, Britain's William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte walk to attend the Royal Family's Christmas Day service at St. Mary Magdalene's church, as the Royals take residence at the Sandringham estate in eastern England, Britain December 25, 2024. (Reuters)
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King Charles Thanks Medics for His and Kate’s Cancer Care

Britain's King Charles, Queen Camilla, Britain's William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte walk to attend the Royal Family's Christmas Day service at St. Mary Magdalene's church, as the Royals take residence at the Sandringham estate in eastern England, Britain December 25, 2024. (Reuters)
Britain's King Charles, Queen Camilla, Britain's William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte walk to attend the Royal Family's Christmas Day service at St. Mary Magdalene's church, as the Royals take residence at the Sandringham estate in eastern England, Britain December 25, 2024. (Reuters)

King Charles thanked the medics who have cared for him and his daughter-in-law Kate, after they both underwent treatment for cancer this year, in a Christmas Day message that touched on global conflicts and the summer's riots in Britain.

In his third Christmas TV broadcast since becoming king, Charles struck an unusually personal tone for the royal seasonal message, a tradition that dates back to a radio speech by George V in 1932.

The year has been traumatic for the royals after Buckingham Palace said in February the 76-year-old had been diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer detected in tests after a corrective procedure for an enlarged prostate.

A month later, Kate, the wife of his son and heir Prince William, said she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer that concluded in September. William has said the year has been brutal for the family.

"All of us go through some form of suffering at some stage in our life, be it mental or physical," Charles, who became king in 2022 after the death of Queen Elizabeth, said.

His words were accompanied by footage of a visit he made to a cancer treatment center on returning to public duties in April and of one of Kate's first engagements when she resumed working.

"From a personal point of view, I offer special heartfelt thanks to the selfless doctors and nurses who this year have supported me and other members of my family through the uncertainties and anxieties of illness, and have helped provide the strength, care and comfort we have needed," Charles said.

"I am deeply grateful too to all those who have offered us their own kind words of sympathy and encouragement," he said in the pre-recorded broadcast that was filmed at an ornate chapel of a former London hospital.

Last week, a palace source said the king's treatment was progressing well and would continue into next year.

Earlier on Wednesday, Charles was joined by his family, including Kate, William and their children, for a traditional church service on his Sandringham estate in eastern England.

Charles' brother Prince Andrew, who was embroiled in another scandal this month when a close business associate was banned from Britain over government suspicions he was a Chinese agent, was a notable absentee from the royal get-together.

The king spoke about nationwide riots, which broke out following the murder in July of three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed event in northern England, and mainly targeted immigrants.

"Diversity of culture, ethnicity and faith provide strength, not weakness", he said.

"I felt a deep sense of pride here in the United Kingdom when in response to anger and lawlessness in several towns this summer, communities came together not to repeat these behaviors, but to repair, to repair not just buildings, but relationships," he said.

Charles also referenced ongoing wars.

"On this Christmas Day, we cannot help but think of those for whom the devastating effects of conflict in the Middle East, in central Europe, in Africa and elsewhere, pose a daily threat to so many people's lives and livelihoods," he said.