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Asseri Appointed as Interim CEO of Red Sea Film Foundation

Interim CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation Mohammed Asseri
Interim CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation Mohammed Asseri
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Asseri Appointed as Interim CEO of Red Sea Film Foundation

Interim CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation Mohammed Asseri
Interim CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation Mohammed Asseri

Mohammed Al-Turki has stepped down from his role as CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation and will transition to an advisor to the Foundation.

He will continue to support the leadership team while refocusing on his personal projects and career as an independent film producer and businessman.

In the interim, Mohammed Asseri, a former board member of the Red Sea Film Foundation, will step in as acting CEO as the search for Al-Turki’s successor is underway.

The announcement comes on the heels of a landmark Cannes Film Festival for the Foundation, which saw four titles supported by the organization selected for the festival. Among these was Tawfik Alzaidi’s “Norah,” which had its world premiere at the 2023 Red Sea International Film Festival.

“Norah” made history as the first Saudi film chosen for the festival’s Official Selection, receiving a Special Mention in the prestigious Un Certain Regard section.

Other notable projects included at Cannes were Mahdi Fleifel’s “To a Land Unknown” (Director’s Fortnight), Emma Benestan’s “Animale” (Cannes Critics Week), and Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir’s “The Brink of Dreams” (Cannes Critics Week), which won the L’Œil d’or (Golden Eye Award) for Best Documentary at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

Jomana Alrashid, Chairwoman of the Red Sea Film Foundation, reflected on this transition: “As we move forward, we acknowledge the relentless efforts of our team and express our gratitude to Mohammed Al-Turki for his pivotal role in leading the Foundation.”

“We look forward to his continued success as one of Saudi Arabia’s most prominent film executives and welcome new leadership to the Foundation, alongside our Managing Director Shivani Pandya Malhotra,” she added.

Al-Turki added: “Working with the Foundation through these three editions of the festival and establishing Saudi Arabia’s place on the global film industry stage has been an honor.”

“We have achieved so much, and as we approach our fourth edition, I feel it is the perfect time to transition. I am grateful for the bonds we have built and will continue to support my Red Sea Film Foundation family,” he noted.

The fourth edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival will take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from December 5 to 14.

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Japan's Space Agency Halts Epsilon S Rocket Engine Test after Fire

Smoke and fire is seen during a combustion test of an engine for a new small Japanese rocket Epsilon S at Tanegashima Space Center, Kagoshima prefecture, southern Japan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)
Smoke and fire is seen during a combustion test of an engine for a new small Japanese rocket Epsilon S at Tanegashima Space Center, Kagoshima prefecture, southern Japan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)
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Japan's Space Agency Halts Epsilon S Rocket Engine Test after Fire

Smoke and fire is seen during a combustion test of an engine for a new small Japanese rocket Epsilon S at Tanegashima Space Center, Kagoshima prefecture, southern Japan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)
Smoke and fire is seen during a combustion test of an engine for a new small Japanese rocket Epsilon S at Tanegashima Space Center, Kagoshima prefecture, southern Japan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)

Japan's space agency aborted an engine test for the Epsilon S rocket on Tuesday following a fire at the test site, a failure that could push the rocket's debut launch beyond the March-end target and cause further delays in the national space program.
An explosion could be heard and a blaze could be seen shortly after the ground combustion test started at the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan, according to footage from public broadcaster NHK.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said the engine test encountered a "combustion abnormality" 49 seconds after the ignition. It said there was no indication of injury or damage to the outside facility, Reuters reported.
"JAXA will conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the problem and consider countermeasures," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a regular press briefing.
Hayashi, the top government spokesperson, said rocket development is "extremely important" to ensure the autonomy of Japan's space program.
JAXA partnered with the aerospace unit of heavy machinery maker IHI to develop Epsilon S, the next generation in the Epsilon solid-fuel small rocket series. Shares in IHI were down as much as 6% in Tokyo trade. An IHI Aerospace spokesperson said the company is investigating the cause.
Epsilon S's debut flight was slated by the end of the fiscal year through March 31 depending on the success of Tuesday's engine test.
The test was conducted after previous failures triggered months of investigation that have delayed space missions and satellite launch plans.
In July last year, an Epsilon S engine test failed due to thermal damage to its ignition systems. That followed a launch failure in 2022.
JAXA's larger flagship rocket H3, built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, failed at its first launch last year but has succeeded in three flights this year, launching Japanese satellites and winning orders including from French satellite operator Eutelsat.
The H3 and Epsilon S are central to JAXA's ambition to build cost-competitive rockets amid the rise of American commercial launch providers such as market leader SpaceX and small rocket maker Rocket Lab.
In the private sector, IHI-backed Space One is set to attempt the second launch of its Kairos small rocket on Dec. 14 after the first flight exploded in March. It aims to become the first Japanese business to put a satellite in orbit.