The second edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival, was a major event in spotlight,

ending 2022 on a high note in the middle east. Getting off to a blockbuster start in the
coastal city of Jeddah, sitting on the eastern shore of the red sea, the festival drew strong
star power from Hollywood, Bollywood, and the Arab film industry which made the event
first of its kind.
The festival has seen an eye-catching parade of celebrities such as Sharon Stone, British
director Guy Ritchie, Jackie Chan, Antonio Banderas, Joel Kinnaman, Naomi Campbell, DJ
Khaled, Mike Tyson, Oliver Stone, Luca Guadagnino, Henry Golding, Michelle Rodriguez,
Nadine Labaki, Melanie Laurent, Lucy Hale and Scott Eastwood which are just some of the
stars who were led down the red carpet at the Ritz-Carlton Jeddah, the festival’s vast,
palatial and exceptionally bling base of operations. Bollywood sensations like Shahrukh
Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Freida Pinto, and the famous Kapoor-khan couple, Saif and Kareena
also made an appearance.
The opening ceremony entailed the distribution of career awards handed out to talents that
had stood the test of time. Most prominent among them being the English film director and
producer Guy Richie, iconic Egyptian actress Youssra, and Bollywood mega-star Shah Rukh
Khan. In addition to this there were speeches that had the audience cheering and giving
rounds of applause. Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone, who was president of the
international jury, voiced his support for the Kingdom stating “You see the changes that are
coming here, the reforms. I think people who judge too harshly should come and visit this
place and see for themselves.”
In 2021, the inaugural event was more of a pop up held at Al Balad, a UNESCO Heritage but
for second edition Ritz Carlton was chosen for convenience. Having accessible auditoriums,
the gala venues, and the entire Red Sea Souk [the fest’s industry side] and the press office
nearby. The screenings were held at Vox Cinemas Red Sea mall, which is about a 20-minute
distance and right across from the Ritz is the Corniche where all community events like the
outdoor screenings and concerts were held.

The deep pockets of Saudi Arabia have helped to not just finance the biggest industry
marketing campaign in Asia, (with posters and promos appearing everywhere despite the
looming threat of covid) the scale of the event surely justified the promotion. Given the
astonishing fact that Saudi Arabia literally only overturned a 35-year cinema ban in late 2017
as part of sweeping reforms by Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman to diversify its economy ,
the progress and popularity of its film festival is remarkable.
When the Dubai fest came to end some four years ago, many local filmmakers expressed
their concern about the disappearance of an event that had grown to become a major
platform for the middle-eastern media industry. Thankfully, The Red Sea Film Festival have
filled that void, and judging by the buzz of activity in the industry-focused Red Sea Souk —
not to mention $400,000 worth of prizes distributed to projects — effortlessly overtook
Dubai’s impressive achievements.
The festival wasn’t just all about the red carpet and photo ops (which had been one of the
criticisms last year for the festival’s inaugural edition). Alongside screenings, there were
scheduled talks, press conferences, masterclasses, panel discussions, with a solid focus on
the local industry. After all, for a country where cinemas simply didn’t exist five years ago,
Saudi Arabia is now the one global box office that’s skyrocketing, and- with two-thirds the
population under 35 years old - there’s a huge pool of creativity now trying to find its feet in
the movie business and ensure that some of the success is, eventually, comes down to local
productions.
The amount of optimism and excitement was quite tangible as the country that had shut off
from the global community for so long isn’t now just welcoming major directors to its
shores, but swiftly enabling its own homegrown filmmakers to share Saudi stories with the
rest of the world. Film- like sports (hint: Qatar)- is intrinsically linked to politics, especially in
this region but it is also the very medium that has the ability to challenge and change the
norms.

An outdoor cinema overlooking the Jeddah waterfront was set up to screen restored classic
movies as part of the Red Sea International Film Festival. The setting was reminiscent of the
70’s when “Cinema Alhosh,” meaning backyard cinemas, were common in Saudi Arabia.
Cinephiles could grab popcorn from the Vox kiosk, cozy up in a bean bag and enjoy movies
such as “Love in Karnak” (1965) and “Watch out for Zouzou” (1972).
Free lunches were available to anyone with a pass, the regular shuttle buses transported
people around, and the evening events with ample buffets (but, of course, zero alcohol), this
was a delightfully un-stressful festival to be a part of (and one now mostly run by former
Dubai exectives). At the party in the hotel’s grounds later, many guests were surprised to
discover that the singer performing the lengthy set of Bruno Mars covers was indeed Bruno
Mars singing himself.
2022’s theme was Film Is Everything, which celebrated movies not just as means of
entertainment but as a tool that brings cultures together. The festival was divided into 11
sections designed to showcase Arab and international cinema, showcasing 131 feature films
and shorts from 61 countries in 41 languages. Seven feature films and 24 shorts from Saudi
Arabia were also shown, although the premieres of Arabic films were poorly attended,
possibly due to Ritz-Carlton’s somewhat heavily guarded premises which off locals who may
have felt it wasn’t something for them.
While it may have launched with a Western title, the festival closed with the world premiere
of Valley Road, one of several Saudi features and numerous shorts. Whatever the future
does have in store for the Red Sea Film Festival the foundations it has very quickly laid are
truly notable. It clearly has the star-pulling power to fill a red carpet (and the closing
ceremony was equally as impressive as the opening, with the likes in attendance). For those
visiting the country for the very first time, the immediate impressions were far away from
what many were expecting, much to the delight of the Saudis working at the hospitality
desk.