Red Sea International Film Festival To Hold Competition For Young Filmmakers

The Red Sea International Film Festival has announced a new short film competition designed to challenge and support aspiring Saudis and Saudi-resident filmmakers to produce new works.

The competition will take place in October, with three days of mentorship followed by an intensive 48-hour challenge where the selected teams will write, shoot, and edit their short films from scratch, working around a set theme and incorporating surprise elements.

The event, which is being organized in collaboration with the Alliance Française, the Consulate General of France in Jeddah, the French Embassy in Riyadh, the Red Sea International Film Festival, and La Fémis, invites applications from teams of Saudi Arabia-based filmmakers aged 18–25. Each team led by a Saudi director or scriptwriter should have two to five participants.

The shortlisted teams will enjoy three days of workshops that will equip them with the knowledge and expertise to develop their films.

The challenge will culminate in November with screenings. The jury will award trophies designed by the artist Rabi Alakhras to two teams. The winning team leaders will go on to enjoy an educational and professional tailored-maid residency program with French renowned cinema operators, during 2021.

Saudi Gazette