Red Sea Film Foundation Chief Jomana Al-Rashid on Fueling Saudi Arabia’s Cinematic Ambitions
variety.comNick Vivarelli International Correspondent Saudi Arabia has a robust presence this year at the Venice Film Festival, where there are six Arab films backed by the Red Sea Film Festival’s foundation on display across various sections, including an industry showcase.
These include Tunisian director Mehdi M. Barsaoui’s drama “Aïcha,” about a woman who flees from her small-town life after miraculously surviving a bus accident, and Egypt’s “Seeking Haven for Mr.
Rambo,” a first feature by Khaled Mansour about a young man forced to confront his fears. These films got their initial impetus thanks to Red Sea funding programs, which are becoming a major Arab film industry driver.
Variety spoke to Jomana Al-Rashid, who chairs the Red Sea Film Festival International Film Foundation, about nurturing Saudi’s rapidly evolving film scene. How would you describe the progression of everything film-related in Saudi Arabia since the ban on cinema was lifted in late 2017? The trajectory of this progression has been truly phenomenal.
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