The Red Sea International Film Festival has announced details of its Project Market awards and juries, as part of its preparations for the launch of its fifth edition, which will be held in the historic city of Jeddah from December 4 to 13, 2025. With a total prize value exceeding two million Saudi riyals, the festival continues to consolidate its position as a leading platform to support and empower filmmakers from the Arab world, Africa, and Asia.
Background and context of the festival
The Red Sea International Film Festival, which launched its first edition in 2021, is one of the most prominent cultural initiatives under Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the economy and enhance the creative and cultural sectors. Since its inception, the festival has successfully become a global meeting point for filmmakers, bringing together emerging talents and established names in the industry, and providing a vital platform to showcase authentic stories that reflect the richness and diversity of the region.
The importance and impact of the Red Sea market
The Red Sea Market, the festival's industrial arm, is more than just an awards competition; it's a comprehensive co-production marketplace designed to facilitate the development, financing, and distribution of film projects. The market plays a pivotal role in connecting Arab, African, and Asian directors and producers with international experts, including distributors, sales agents, and financiers. Through this support, the market directly contributes to transforming cinematic ideas into finished films capable of reaching global screens, thus enhancing the region's cinematic presence on the international stage.
Details of the awards and judging panels
In its fifth edition, the market will present 28 cash and in-kind awards to outstanding projects across various categories, including “Projects in Development,” “Works in Progress,” and the “Series Lab.” Specialized judging panels comprised of leading local and international experts will evaluate the projects and select the winners. The main cash prizes are provided by the Red Sea Fund, with additional awards from prominent international partners such as Arab Radio and Television Network (ART), the Arab Cinema Center, the National Center for Cinema and Moving Image (CNC), and others.
In this regard, Shivani Pandya Malhotra, the festival’s general manager, commented: “Our market awards play a pivotal role in nurturing emerging and established cinematic talent from the Arab world, Asia, and Africa, ensuring their projects receive the support they deserve.” She added: “We are proud to welcome such a distinguished group of local and international jurors to the fifth edition of the Red Sea Market, each bringing invaluable expertise that reinforces our mission of bringing inspiring and transformative stories from these regions to life.”.
Faisal Baltayour, CEO of the festival, said: “The Market Awards are a cornerstone of the Red Sea Film Foundation’s strategy towards the sector throughout the year. Through them, we enhance integration between all stages of the film lifecycle, from development and financing to distribution and exhibition.”.
Judging panel for projects under development:
- Abdul Rahman Khoja: Executive Producer, Strategic Advisor, and Head of Distribution at Sila Studios.
- Elliott Khayat: A producer at Who A Core who works on producing feature films and television series.
- Maisky Toresia: A film producer who co-founded Balari Films and won international awards.
Judging Committee for Works in Progress:
- Mahdi Fleifel: A Palestinian film director who has won more than 30 international awards.
- Rungano Nyoni: A Zambian-Welsh director and screenwriter, winner of the BIFFA Award for Best Director.
- Paolo Bertolin: Artistic Director of the New Zealand International Film Festival and consultant to the Venice Film Festival.
The judging panel for the TV series workshop:
- David Davoli: Head of International Business at Anonymous Content.
- Hanaa Al-Omair: A Saudi writer and director, and chairperson of the board of directors of the Cinema Association.
- Jehane Noujaim: Award-winning producer, director, writer, and member of the Academy Awards.
The market's awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on December 10, to celebrate the efforts of filmmakers and honor promising projects that will shape the future of cinema in the region.
