Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival Forges Ahead Despite Israel-Hamas Conflict, Reveals First Batch of Mostly Arab Titles
variety.comNick Vivarelli International Correspondent Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival has announced the bulk of its lineup from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), signaling that the event is forging ahead with its third edition despite the Israel-Hamas war that has caused cancellations of several movie celebrations across the Arab world.
The fest’s third edition, set to run Nov. 30-Dec. 9 in Jeddah, on the Red Sea’s eastern shore, will feature a slew of films from the MENA region and comprise 11 feature films from Saudi, underlining the local film industry’s growth.
This year’s theme is “Your Story, Your Festival”. There are two Saudi films in the 17-title competition dedicated to features from the Arab world as well as Africa and Asia.
They are “Norah,” a drama by first-time helmer Tawfik Alzaidi set in 1990s Saudi Arabia, when conservatism was at its height, and Ali Alkalthami’s bold comedy “Mandoob” about a distraught delivery app driver in Riyadh who becomes a bootleg alcohol dealer.
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