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Red Sea Film Foundation to Host Screenings as Part of 'Directors' Program'

The screenings will take place at Red Sea Mall cinemas in Jeddah from April 30 to May 3
The screenings will take place at Red Sea Mall cinemas in Jeddah from April 30 to May 3
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Red Sea Film Foundation to Host Screenings as Part of 'Directors' Program'

The screenings will take place at Red Sea Mall cinemas in Jeddah from April 30 to May 3
The screenings will take place at Red Sea Mall cinemas in Jeddah from April 30 to May 3

The Red Sea Film Foundation will organize a special film screening series showcasing works by acclaimed international directors, reaffirming its commitment to supporting the local cinema scene by hosting prominent figures in global filmmaking.
The screenings will take place at Red Sea Mall cinemas in Jeddah from April 30 to May 3.
The screening series is held alongside the "Directors' Program," organized by the foundation, and features emerging filmmakers from Saudi Arabia, the Arab world, and Asia and Africa. The program offers an intensive learning journey with workshops and orientation sessions on filmmaking.
The film screenings are part of the "Documentary Film Days" program, organized by the Red Sea Film Foundation and Art Jameel in Jeddah to support emerging cinematic talents.
The initiative is part of the foundation's broader efforts to advance the film industry locally and regionally and to bring international expertise to empower emerging filmmakers from Saudi Arabia, Asia, and Africa.

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Varieties

Monkey Business Delays Sri Lanka's Wildlife Survey

Officials in Sri Lanka said they were withholding the results of a survey of crop-destroying wildlife because monkey business appeared to have distorted some of the data. Ishara S. KODIKARA / AFP
Officials in Sri Lanka said they were withholding the results of a survey of crop-destroying wildlife because monkey business appeared to have distorted some of the data. Ishara S. KODIKARA / AFP
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20
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Monkey Business Delays Sri Lanka's Wildlife Survey

Officials in Sri Lanka said they were withholding the results of a survey of crop-destroying wildlife because monkey business appeared to have distorted some of the data. Ishara S. KODIKARA / AFP
Officials in Sri Lanka said they were withholding the results of a survey of crop-destroying wildlife because monkey business appeared to have distorted some of the data. Ishara S. KODIKARA / AFP

Sri Lanka is withholding the results of a survey of crop-destroying wildlife, including monkeys and peacocks, because data collected from some farmers appeared unrealistic, a minister said on Monday.

Deputy Environment Minister Anton Jayakodi said authorities had begun a review of the nationwide survey conducted on March 15, the first of its kind, because "some of the data was unbelievable".

Authorities suggested some enraged farmers might have exaggerated the numbers to suggest that the problem was even bigger, AFP reported.

Data in some places appeared "unusually high", officials said.

Residents across the island country were asked to count wild boar, peacocks, monkeys and lorises -- a small, largely nocturnal primate -- spotted near farms and homes during a five-minute period.

"We started the survey to understand the size of the problem," Jayakodi told reporters in Colombo. "But we now have to review the results... there have been issues with some unusual data."

Jayakodi said officials would return to assess data before releasing the final results of the survey, which was aimed at drawing up a national plan to deal with nuisance wildlife.

Opposition legislator Nalin Bandara said the survey was "a complete failure, a waste of money".

Officials say more than a third of crops are destroyed by wild animals, including elephants that are protected by law because they are considered sacred.

While elephants are major raiders of rice farms and fruit plantations, they were not included in the March count.

The then agricultural minister proposed in 2023 exporting some 100,000 toque macaques to Chinese zoos but the monkey business was abandoned following protests from environmentalists.

Sri Lanka removed several species from its protected list in 2023, including all three of its monkey species as well as peacocks and wild boars, allowing farmers to kill them.