Red Sea Film Fest Unveils 26 Projects In Souk Program – Deadline

The Red Sea International Film Festival, has unveiled the 26 projects selected as part of its industry-focused Red Sea Souk Market, running from December 2 to 5.

Projects in development include Palestinian director Scandar Copti’s A Childhood, Lebanese-French filmmaker Danielle Arbid’s Love Conquers All and Madness And Honey Days by Iraq’s Ahmed Yassin Al-Daradji.  

Within the Market selection are twelve Red Sea Lodge projects which were developed during the year through intensive workshops and in partnership with the Torino Film Lab. Four of these projects will be awarded the annual Red Sea Lodge production prizes of $50,000 each.

All 26 selected projects will compete for cash prizes offered by the Red Sea Fund, to be awarded by an international jury of producers: $35,000 for development, $25,000 for the Jury Special Mention Award and $100,000 for production

Another six projects will be showcased in Works-In-Progress section including Men In The Sun by Palestinian director Mahdi Fleifel, Red Path by Tunisia’s Lotfi Achour and Yunan by Kiev-Born, Germany director Ameer Fakher Eldin, who is of Syrian descent. (scroll down for the full list).

All selected films in the Work-in-Progress Showcase will compete for the Red Sea Souk Post-Production Award of $30,000 and the Special Jury Mention of $10.000.

“We are excited to host the Red Sea Souk as part of the Red Sea IFF for a third year and to showcase some of the most innovative, inspiring new talent from the Arab and African region,” said Red Sea Film Festival managing director Shivani Pandya Malhotra, Managing Director.

Alongside the project market and works-in-progress showcases, the Souk will also run its Red Sea 360° industry workshops, panels and sessions program focused on the future of the Arab, African and Asian film industries.

Confirmed speakers to date include former U.S. Marvel Television exec Karim Zreik, Jordanian writer and director Tima Al Shomali, South Korean producer Woo-Sik Seo, Saudi animation director Malek Nejer and Colombian producer Diego Ramírez Schrempp.

The Project Market jury comprises Saudi Producer Wael Abumansour (Telfaz 11), French producer Jean Bréhat (Tessalit Productions), Moroccan producer Lamia Chraibi (La Prod), Senegalese producer Oumar Sall (Cinekap) and Bosnian producer and director Jasmila Žbanić.

Judges for the Works-In-Progress are Venice Giornate degli Autori artistic director Gaia Furrer, Kenyan filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu and Iraqi-Italian director Haider Rashid.

SELECTED PROJECTS:

The Red Sea Souk Project Market

The Red Sea Lodge Projects