The Red Sea International Film Festival announced the launch of 38 unique film and television projects as part of this year’s Titles for Souk Project Market List, which celebrates diverse storytelling styles and talents from around the world, reflecting the festival’s commitment to its theme, "A New Home for Cinema" during its upcoming December 5-14 run in Historic Jeddah.
The list includes 12 projects developed through the Red Sea Lodge annual program, held in partnership with the Torino Film Lab and sponsored by Film AlUla. This year, the market expanded its support to include serialized storytelling, featuring seven series currently in development within the Series Lab, in collaboration with Film Independent. The Red Sea Souk, the film market of the Red Sea Film Foundation, is designed to enhance global exchange and partnerships between the international and Saudi film industries.
The four-day market will feature a range of curated events aimed at strengthening co-production, international distribution, and creating new job opportunities. It will offer an unprecedented glimpse into the dynamic, emerging Saudi film landscape, in addition to showcasing the best of the Arab market through pitching sessions, individual meetings, film screenings, industry discussions, and networking events.
As part of its major program expansion, the Red Sea Souk opened participation this year for the first time to filmmakers from across Asia, with 28% of the applications coming from the continent. This marks a significant milestone in the history of the Red Sea International Film Festival, as participation was previously limited to projects directors from Africa or the Arab world.
The Red Sea International Film Festival celebrates the finest of Arab and global cinema in Jeddah, the “Bride of the Red Sea.” The festival’s cinematic program offers a variety of categories and sections, featuring films from around the world, from restored cinematic treasures with the latest screening technology to the most recent works by emerging talents.
The festival will host an elite lineup of artistic talent, filmmakers, and industry professionals from the Arab world and beyond, in addition to film competitions for both feature and short films. It will also include art events and host numerous panels and workshops aimed at supporting, developing, and encouraging rising talents.
