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Naomi Campbell takes a phone call while waiting to get on a boat on Thursday (July 3) in Ibiza, Spain.

The 55-year-old supermodel was seen wearing an all white outfit while out to celebrate her longtime friend Mohammed Al Turki‘s birthday.

Naomi was also seen wearing a zebra print outfit while arriving back at the dock with Mohammed.

The legendary model took to Instagram to share a special message for her pal’s birthday.

“Happy birthday 40 th birthday and turn around the sun to my chosen family @moalturki My Mo,” she captioned a pair of photos. “I’m so proud of all that you’ve done, all that you’re doing, and all that’s ahead for you. I’m beyond excited for your next chapter and everything your future holds. Most of all, I’m deeply grateful to have you in my life.”

“I wish you joy, health, love,...

Dakota Johnson is embracing single life — and possibly sparking a new romance — while soaking up the sun on a luxurious yacht in Ibiza just weeks after her breakup with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.

The Materialists actress, 35, was spotted getting cozy with a mystery man aboard the lavish vessel, which hosted a star-studded group of A-listers including close friend Kate Hudson, retired NFL icon Tom Brady, and supermodel Naomi Campbell. The occasion? A birthday celebration for Saudi film producer Mohammed Al Turki.

Dakota Johnson Cozying Up With Mystery Man In Ibiza After Chris Martin Split

In a series of candid moments, Johnson appeared in high spirits, laughing and chatting with the shirtless brunette guest, who wore only a towel wrapped around his waist. At one point, she was seen smiling warmly, touching his bicep, and later leaning into him as the two enjoyed the scenic Mediterranean views together.

The flirty exchange...

Dakota Johnson and Kate Hudson are currently on vacation together in Italy and they ran into Ricky Martin while out for dinner!

The celeb pals were seen having an al fresco meal with entrepreneur Douglas Chabbott and agent Maha Dakhil on Saturday (June 28) at the iconic Pierluigi restaurant in Rome, Italy.

Ricky and his friend Mohammed Al Turki were walking past the restaurant when they ran into the group. They ended up sitting down and catching up for a bit!

Kate and Dakota are still on vacation together in Europe and have ventured over to Ibiza, Spain. If you didn’t realize, both of them are the daughters of famous parents!

Browse through the gallery for more photos of Dakota Johnson, Kate Hudson, and Ricky Martin running into each other…...

Colman Domingo has been announced as the host of amfAR Venezia, the Foundation for AIDS Research’s gala at the Venice Film Festival. The black-tie event, taking place Aug. 31 at Arsenale, will feature cocktails, dinner and a live auction of contemporary artworks and exclusive experiences.

“We are deeply grateful to Colman Domingo for his commitment to our cause and for recognizing the importance of amfAR’s work,” amfAR CEO Kevin Robert Frost said in a statement Monday. “There are still 40 million people living with HIV worldwide, and fundraising events like amfAR Venezia that support our efforts to find a cure for HIV remain as critically important as ever.”

Recent honorees of amfAR Venezia have included Antonio Banderas, Richard Gere, Ava DuVernay, Ferzan Ozpetek, Achille Boroli and Mohammed Al Turki.

This year’s presenting sponsor is World Gold Council. San Clemente Palace Kempinski is the official hotel partner.

The 82nd edition...

Faisal Baltyuor has been appointed CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation. His appointment, announced by the Foundation, will take effect on June 1, 2025. He will take over from Acting CEO Mohammed Asseri, following the earlier transition of Mohammed Al Turki into an advisory position.

Baltyuor is a key figure in the development of Saudi Arabia’s contemporary film industry. He previously served as the first head of Ithra Cinema and the first CEO of the Saudi Film Council. He founded CineWaves Films, a Saudi distribution company that has expanded rapidly in recent years, and has held the CEO position at Muvi Studios. He also opened Riyadh’s first arthouse cinema, Cinehouse, further diversifying the country’s exhibition platforms.

His producing credits extend across film festival circuits and streaming platforms. He executive produced The Perfect Candidate, which was selected for the Venice International Film Festival. He was also involved in Sattar,...

The Red Sea Film Foundation has named Faisal Baltyuor as its new CEO.

The veteran Saudi film producer and industry pioneer, who begins his new role on June 1, will officially succeed Mohammed Al Turki after Al Turki took on an advisory role with the organizer of the annual Red Sea Film Festival. That led Mohammed Asseri to step in as interim head.

“I am deeply honored to assume the position of CEO at the Red Sea Film Foundation, a leading institution at the forefront of Saudi Arabia’s cultural and cinematic evolution. In a remarkably short time, the Foundation has secured its place on the global festival map, and we are committed to building on this success,” Baltyuor in a statement said of his new role.

Baltyuor was the first head of Ithra Cinema and the first CEO of the Saudi Film Council. He also launched and runs the Saudi...

Acclaimed Saudi producer Faisal Baltyuor has been appointed CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation and will take up the role on June 1.

Baltyuor, the founder of leading distributor CineWaves Films and widely considered an industry pioneer in Saudi, will take over from acting Red Sea Ff CEO Mohammed Asseri.

The foundation runs the Red Sea International Film Festival and its funding programmes have supported more than 250 projects from Saudi, Mena and Africa and Asia. Its former CEO, Mohammed Al-Turki, stepped down last June.

Faisal is a leading figure in the Saudi film industry, holding posts as the first head...

Robert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz reunite at a special reception party for his movie Mickey 17 held on Sunday (January 26) in Paris.

The 38-year-old actor and the 36-year-old actress, of course, co-starred in the DC movie The Batman, and met up at the event, which he served as host.

Also in attendance were actors Elizabeth Debicki, Danny Ramirez, Lee Jung Jae, Daphne Patakia, Jeremy O’Harris, Marisa Berenson, Louis Garrel, Paul Hameline and Sang Heon Lee, models Adriana Lima and Gabbriette, singers Eric Nam, Paco Amoroso and Camelia Jordana, filmmakers Bertrand Bonello, Kim Chapiron, Romain Gavras and Zoe Wittock and producer Mohammed Al Turki.

Just a couple of days prior, Robert was in attendance at the Dior Homme fashion show during Paris Fashion Week.

The week before, Robert joined his Mickey 17 director Bong Joon Ho at a press conference for the movie in Seoul, South Korea.

The upcoming movie was...

One of the buzziest screenings of this year’s Red Sea Film Festival, John Crowley’s “We Live in Time” attracted droves of young, eager audience members to Jeddah’s Culture Square on Monday night. True to the festival’s promise, the film, which features extended sex scenes and female frontal nudity, was not censored. Some audience members shied their eyes away during such scenes but mostly reacted positively to Garfield’s latest outing.

The British actor is immensely popular in the region. This is, in fact, the second time Garfield attends Red Sea, having done so last year for an in-conversation event and to visit the sprawling region of AlUla where films like “Cherry” and “Kandahar” were shot. This time around, Garfield is in town not only to present his film with Florence Pugh but also as a mentor at the Souk — the festival’s industry arm. Earlier on the day of the premiere,...

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival kicked off its fourth edition with a starry opening ceremony on Thursday evening as it returned to the historic Al-Balad neighborhood of its home port city of Jeddah.

Among the stars hitting the red carpet were Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones as well as Spike Lee, who is the jury president this year, Eva Longoria, Michelle Yeoh, Cynthia Erivo, Will Smith, Michelle Rodriguez and career honorees Vin Diesel, Emily Blunt and Aamir Khan.

Michelle Rodriguez, Mohammed Al Turki and Eva Longoria (Ernesto S. Ruscio/Getty Images for The Red Sea International Film Festival)

As he received his career award, Diesel commented on the star wattage in the room: “There might be more familiar faces than some of the awards shows back in America. Am I crazy to say that? There are just so many great people here.”

Singling out Lee, The Fast & Furious...

The Red Sea International Film Festival has officially kicked off its fourth edition as A-listers and international auteurs converged in Jeddah’s old town of Al-Balad in Saudi Arabia’s second-largest city for a decidedly glamorous opening ceremony.

Emily Blunt, Cynthia Erivo, Eva Longoria, Michelle Yeo, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones in a flowing blue sky gown and cape, Squid Game breakout Hoyeon, Michelle Rodriguez, Bollywood star Aamir Khan, competition jury president Spike Lee, action stars Will Smith and Vin Diesel, Kareena Kapoor, Saudi actor Khaled Yeslam and Daniel Dae Kim were among the global stars in lavish outfits at the opening gala on Thursday night.

The glamorous event saw the stars converge on the main building of the city’s new Culture Square that mixes traditional architecture and modern technology. The site is being touted as “the new home of film” in Jeddah and Saudi Arabia.

Most A-listers took...

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival kicked off its fourth edition on Thursday with the world premiere of Karim Shenawi’s Egyptian drama “The Tale of Daye’s Family” and a glitzy red carpet featuring Will Smith, Emily Blunt, Cynthia Erivo, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Eva Longoria, Michelle Yeoh, Minnie Driver, Michael Douglas and Vin Diesel, the latter of whom received the festival’s Iconic Characters Award.

Diesel took to the stage after a warm introduction by his long-time collaborator Michelle Rodríguez, who said the two have “been creatively in rooms defending storytelling, people with our colored skin and the beauty of the streets and the people who don’t necessarily live by the rules of others.”

Michelle Rodriguez, Mohammed Al Turki and Eva Longoria attend the opening ceremony at the Red Sea Film Festival.

Accepting the award, the actor quipped about the star-filled room: “There might be more familiar faces...

Guy Ritchie's next movie will no longer be hitting theaters in January 2025. Lionsgate has removed In the Grey, which reteams Ritchie with his The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare star Henry Cavill, from its 2025 release schedule.

According to Deadline, the reason Lionsgate has pulled In the Grey from its Jan. 17, 2025 release date is because the movie isn't finished. The action thriller wrapped filming in October 2024, meaning that Ritchie has spent more than a year completing post-production work and is still not finished. A new release date has not yet been announced by Lionsgate. It's a sad update for fans who were looking forward to seeing the filmmaker's third Cavill-led movie. The actor previously starred in 2015's The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and 2024's The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

Related Henry Cavill's Breakout Role Was The Best Part of This Beloved British Drama

Henry Cavill played British nobleman,...

The stars were out en masse for the 2024 Lacma Art+Film Gala held at Los Angeles County Museum of Art on Saturday night (November 2) in Los Angeles.

Kim Kardashian, Laura Dern, Andrew Garfield and Blake Lively were among the A-listers in attendance at the annual event, which brings together notable figures from art, film, fashion and entertainment.

Keep reading to find out more…

The gala’s proceeds “go toward underwriting Lacma’s initiative to make film more central to the museum’s curatorial programming, while also funding Lacma’s broader mission. This includes exhibitions, acquisitions, and educational programming, in addition to screenings that explore the intersection of art and film.”

This year’s event honored “artist Simone Leigh, whose multifaceted practice situates questions of Black female-identified subjectivity at the center of contemporary art discourse, along with the visionary auteur Baz Luhrmann.”

Keep scrolling below to see all of the stars...

On Sunday night on the island of Lido — amid the goings on of the 81st Venice Film Festival — amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, held its annual gala. The World Gold Council, the Red Sea International Film Festival, Chopard, Campari and the San Clemente Palace Kempinski Hotel made the night possible, along with the support of Uber, Boroli Wines and Rumor Rosé, as the event took place at Hangar Nicelli.

Guests arrived in gowns and black tie attire to the airport by boat and took photos on the blue carpet, then enjoyed the cocktail hour with a bar by Campari. Attendees also posed with photos at the amfAR photo booth, and socialized around the art that would be auctioned off at the gala.

Swizz Beatz, honoree Mohammed Al Turki and Zac Efron

Julian Lennon told The Hollywood Reporter at the event that he’s “always wanted to be able to...

So many stars stepped out to support Nicole Kidman and her Babygirl castmates at the Venice Film Festival premiere of their new movie on Friday (August 30) in Venice, Italy.

The 57-year-old Oscar winner stars in the erotic thriller from director Halina Reijn alongside Harris Dickinson, Sophie Wilde and Antonio Banderas, who all attended the premiere.

Antonio made a rare red carpet appearance with his girlfriend Nicole Kimpel!

A multitude of other stars attended the event to show support. The list includes the likes of Lili Reinhart and Chase Stokes. With such a large guestlist, we pulled together the photos so that you could easily see who was there and what they wore.

Head inside to see photos of everyone who attended the premiere…

Keep scrolling to see photos of everyone who attended the Babygirl premiere at the 2024 Venice Film Festival…

Nicole Kidman

Fyi: Nicole is wearing Schiaparelli FW24 Couture.

Harris...

More stars are heading to Italy to join amfAR at the organization’s annual fundraiser during the 81st Venice International Film Festival.

Kate Beckinsale is set to host the black-tie gala, which will feature performances by longtime amfAR supporter Kelly Rowland and actress-turned-singer Rumer Willis. As previously announced, veteran actor Richard Gere will be presented with amfAR’s Award of Inspiration while film producer and philanthropist Mohammed Al Turki, former CEO of the Red Sea Film Festival, will be honored with a philanthropic leadership award.

Event Chairs include Jomana Al Rashid, Achille Boroli, Willem Dafoe, Matteo Fantacchiotti, Alejandra Gere, Andrei Gillott, Harry Goodwins, Lucien Laviscount, Julian Lennon, Catherine O’Hara, Caroline Scheufele, David Tait, Emir Uyar, Jon Watts, amfAR board members Tony Mancilla and Vin Roberti, and amfAR board co-chairs T. Ryan Greenawalt and Kevin McClatchy.

Set to take place on Sept. 1, amfAR Venezia will be hosted at Hangar Nicelli on the Lido.

AmfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, has announced this year’s honorees at its upcoming Venice International Film Festival gala, amfAR Venezia.

Richard Gere will be recognized with the Award of Inspiration. “Few in the entertainment industry have done as much as Richard Gere to advance the fight against AIDS,” amfAR CEO Kevin Robert Frost said in a statement on Monday morning. “His humanitarian instincts and deep desire to help those on the margins of society, make him an inspiration to us all here at amfAR.”

Film producer, businessman, philanthropist and former Red Sea Film Foundation CEO Mohammed Al Turki will be presented with the Philanthropic Leadership Award. “Thanks in part to Mohammed Al Turki’s leadership, The Red Sea International Film Festival has been a loyal supporter of amfAR’s work for many years, and through their generosity and partnership, they have helped advance our lifesaving research,” Frost said.

Saudi producer Mohammed Al-Turki is stepping down as CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Foundation, the parent organization of Saudi’s top fest, which is the leading market in the region and a key driver in the kingdom’s ongoing efforts to build a film and TV industry.

Al-Turki, who remains on board as an adviser, will return to focusing on “personal projects and his career as an independent film producer and businessman,” a Red Sea foundation statement said.

While the selection of his successor is underway, Mohammed Asseri, who is a former Red Sea Film Foundation board member, will step in during the interim as the foundation’s acting CEO.

Last month, Saudi Arabia landed its first movie in Cannes Film Festival’s official selection with “Norah,” a drama by pioneering director Tawfik Alzaidi set in 1990s Saudi, when conservatism was at its height. The film premiered...

Mohammed Al-Turki, the CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation, is stepping down with board member Mohammed Asseri appointed as acting CEO.

Al-Turki plans to focus on personal projects and his career as an independent film producer and businessman, and will continue to support the Red Sea Film Foundation leadership team as an advisor.

The Foundation runs the Red Sea International Film Festival and its funding programmes have supported over 250 projects from Saudi, Mena and Africa and Asia.

The selection of a successor is underway.

Al-Turki’s departure comes after four titles supported by the Red Sea Film Foundation recently played at Cannes.

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Foundation has announced that Mohammed Al-Turki is stepping down as its CEO to focus on personal projects and his career as an independent film producer and businessman.

The body, which was created in the wake of Saudi Arabia’s lifting in late 2017 of its cinema ban, oversees the Jeddah-set Red Sea International Film Festival and is also charged with helping to build a cinema ecosystem in the country.

Under Al Turki’s watch, the foundation held the first three editions of the Rsiff and supported 250 projects from Saudi, Mena and Africa and Asia.

The foundation said the search for a successor was underway and that in the interim, former Red Sea Film Foundation board member Mohammed Asseri was stepping in as acting CEO.

Shivani Pandya Malhotra remains in place as managing director of the foundation and Al-Turki will continue to support the leadership team in an advisory role.

The Red Sea Film Foundation, which organizes the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, unveiled a leadership update on Wednesday, including the transition of Mohammed Al Turki from his CEO post to an advisor role.

“Al Turki will continue to support the leadership team while he returns to focus on personal projects and his career as an independent film producer and businessman,” it said. “The selection of a successor is underway and in the interim, former board member of the Red Sea Film Foundation Mohammed Asseri will step in as acting CEO of the foundation.”

The Red Sea Film Foundation recently had a landmark Cannes Film Festival which saw four titles supported by the organization selected for the festival. This included Tawfik Alzaidi’s Norah, which had its world premiere at the Red Sea International Film Festival in December and made history as the first Saudi film to...

The Arab Cinema Center has published this year's “Golden 101”, its annual list of the 101 most influential figures in Arab cinema in its 22nd edition of Arab Cinema Magazine, which is being circulated at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival and can be accessed on the Marché du Film website.

Celebrating individuals and institutions who have made the most significant impact on the Arab film industry over the past twelve months, this year's Golden 101 comprises of 13 directors, 16 producers, 14 actors, five crew members, 18 distributors from 12 institutions, 12 executives from 10 governmental cinema institutions, 11 executives from seven video-on-demand platforms, 11 representatives from seven festivals, and seven executives from film financing institutions.

Commenting on this year's Golden 101 list, Colin Brown, Mad Solutions' Managing Partner for International Operations said; “These are the artists, artisans, and power brokers who have distinguished themselves this past year – and the rest of the world should pay attention to them if...

The program for amfAR’s milestone 30th Cannes gala is growing.

Nick Jonas has booked a trip and will perform at the starry event which will also feature a “special musical moment” by Cher. Demi Moore is hosting the gala on May 23, a showing that will punctuate a busy festival for the veteran actress who has a film in competition, The Substance, and duties with Chopard as the jeweler’s godmother for a gala ceremony.

“We could not be more excited to add the amazing Nick Jonas to our Cannes lineup this year,” said amfAR CEO Kevin Robert Frost. “We are grateful to him for recognizing the importance of amfAR’s work in the fight against AIDS and we know that, together with Demi Moore and Cher, he will make this an unforgettable evening.”

Chairs of gala include Mohammed Al-Turki, Pedro Almodóvar, Jonathan Bailey, Fan Bingbing, Angela Bassett, Odell Beckham, Jr.,...

So many celebrities have descended on Paris for the most fashionable time of the year – Fashion Week!

On Friday (January 19), a slew of stars stepped out to attend the Dior Homme Menswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025 show.

The guestlist included the likes of Rita Ora, Nicholas Hoult and Kate and Lila Moss. That’s still barely scratching the surface, too. We pulled together pics of everyone and arranged them for you to easily peruse inside.

Head inside to see all of the pics from the fashion show…

Keep scrolling to see photos of all of the celebrities at the Dior Homme Menswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025 show…

Lewis Hamilton

Rita Ora

Kate Moss

Lila Moss

Honey Dijon

Bryanboy

Baptiste Giabiconi

Amanda Lear

Nicholas Hoult

Miss Fame

Aron Piper

Alexander Roth

Bertrand Bonello

Edouard Philipponnat

Mohammed Al Turki

Chris Ivery

Saint Levant

Benito Skinner

Chase Hudson

Pusha T

Luther Ford

Younes Bendjima

Nic Kaufmann

Marc Forne

Yeonjun,...

he Red Sea International Film Festival (Red Sea Iff) marked the closing of its third edition with a screening of Micheal Mann's Ferrari, a Red Sea International Film Financing project, and revealed the winners of its highly anticipated Yusr Awards. The festival also welcomed Hollywood icon Nicolas Cage, receiving a Red Sea Honoree award, and joining the 2023 Honoree line-up of Diane Kruger, Ranveer Singh, and Abdullah Al-Sadhan. Kristoffer Borgli's comedy horror Dream Scenario, starring Nicolas Cage, will screen as the Final Festival Gala on Saturday 9th December.

Two juries deliberated to finally select winners across 14 categories; led by Jury President Baz Luhrmann. Seventeen films in competition, as well as 23 shorts, were in the running for the coveted awards.

The festival this year celebrated its biggest year yet in terms of attendance – welcoming almost 6,000 accredited guests and selling more than 40,000 tickets across all screenings and In Conversations.

The Closing Ceremony...

There were a bunch of Hollywood A-List stars in Saudi Arabia today for the closing night gala of the 2023 Red Sea International Film Festival!

Gwyneth Paltrow, Andrew Garfield, and Halle Berry were some of the stars who walked the red carpet at the event on Thursday (December 7) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

More stars included Jason Statham, Henry Golding, Freida Pinto, Nicolas Cage, Alia Bhatt, Adrien Brody with girlfriend Georgina Chapman, Paz Vega, and Mohammed Al Turki.

Halle was joined on the red carpet by her boyfriend Van Hunt.

The Red Sea Film Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization created to support the film industry in Saudi Arabia in the production and distribution of films, as well as education on cinema. The Foundation’s initiatives support the ambitious plans for the Kingdom in the entertainment industries, with its pillars of a vibrant society, an ambitious nation and a thriving economy.

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Andrew Garfield spoke to an audience rich in Spider-Man fans about his career at the Red Sea Film Festival Thursday, sitting alongside Saudi producer and Red Sea Film Foundation CEO Mohammed Al Turki. The two have known each other since Garfield starred in Ramin Bahrani’s 2014 drama “99 Homes,” which Al Turki produced. “I’m currently out of work,” Garfield quipped. “So I’m just here to talk to Mo really.”

“I’m 40 years old now and I still get absolutely petrified,” Garfield said. “I have terrible impostor syndrome. I didn’t know it was a viable option to be an actor. I loved being an athlete. I hated school. I wasn’t strong enough to be a rugby player. It was my mother who suggested I look at doing something creative.”

Garfield spoke about his career from making a Doritos commercial when he was 21 to his early days in Hollywood,...

The Red Sea International Film Festival (Red Sea Iff) is delighted to announce the winners of the Red Sea Souk Awards – vital funding and in-kind grants to develop and boost new talent from Saudi, Arab and African directors. Three juries deliberated to finally select nine winning feature ideas and two TV series, whose creative visions will now benefit from generous prizes awarded by the Red Sea Fund and its award partners.

A total of 24 new film projects screened as part of the Red Sea Souk, with 12 titles by filmmakers of African and Arab origin, alongside 12 Red Sea Lodge projects by Saudi, Arab and African directors which have been developed over the last year through intensive workshops and in partnership with the Torino Film Lab. The Red Sea Souk Project Market jury awards are supported by the Red Sea Fund, and in the selection were five Saudi projects, eight African projects...

Andrew Garfield shared insights into his early days in Hollywood, experiences working on the Spider-Man franchise and thoughts about Red Sea International Festival Festival during his masterclass at the festival today.

He shared the stage with Saudi producer and Red Sea Film Foundation head Mohammed Al Turki, an old friend whom he’d worked with on indie feature 99 Homes in 2014. Directed by Iranian-us filmmaker Ramin Bahrani, 99 Homes was set during the recession period of the late 2000s when many Americans were losing their homes.

“It was an interesting group of us making that film,” Garfield remembered. “There was Ramin who was an American filmmaker but of a very different cultural heritage, then Mo of Saudi heritage and me of English heritage. So there was this melting pot bunch of people who felt maybe like they were outsiders in a certain way, telling a story about what it is to be an outsider.

The third edition of the Red Sea Souk, the market arm of the Red Sea Film Festival, awarded its top prize of $100,000 to “The Return of the Prodigal Son” by Rani Massalha. Another eight feature projects and two TV series were awarded cash and in-kind prizes as part of the Red Souk Awards.

Massalha’s film, a co-production between Egypt, Tunisia and France, tells the story of Salem, a pig farmer in Egypt who is a Copt — a native Christian community in the country, often persecuted — amidst a breakout of the swine flu in 2009 that sends Egypt into a spiral of psychosis, leading the Mubarak government to pass a law to slaughter all the pigs.

In a statement, the writer-director said: “The pigs of Egypt were ‘sacrificed’ under political pressure and hysterical media coverage organized by the Muslim Brotherhood, crystalizing the structural violence of Egyptian social relations between communities.”

“Isn...

Halle Berry and Gwyneth Paltrow are among the high-profile names that have been added to the popular ‘In-Conversation’ sidebar section at the third edition of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival. Scroll down for the full list of attendees.

Further In-Conversation add-ons include Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt and Catherine Martin.

They join previously announced attendees such as Ranveer Singh (Gully Boy), Katrina Kaif (Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara), Yasmine Sabri (Bogeyman), Will Smith, Bollywood legend Karan Johar (My Name is Khan), and Baz Lurhmann, the head of this year’s competition jury at Red Sea.

“The In Conversation line-up this year has some of the most iconic names in entertainment from across the globe, who are each trailblazers in their fields,” Mohammed Al-Turki, CEO of the Red Sea International Film, Festival said. “They are converging on Jeddah to give festival-goers an insight into their work and inspiration – from multihyphenate creators...

The third edition of the market comes as Saudi emerges as an increasingly important player in the international industry

The Saudi industry is setting out its stall to local and international execs arriving at the Red Sea International Film Festival’s market, the Red Sea Souk, which opens today (December 2).

Many of the country’s leading players are exhibiting in the Souk, including exhibitor / producers muvi Cinemas and Vox Cinemas, media hubs Neom and AlUla, producers Telfaz11 and Mbc Studios, distributor CineWaves Films through to production services outfit Yellow Camel Studios, vfx specialist Hecat Studios and industry organisations the Saudi...

“Your Story, Your Festival,” is the theme for this year‘s Red Sea International Film Festival, with organizers promising “a unique and powerful platform for celebrating film, connecting cultures and expanding horizons while welcoming stories from all walks of life.”

The festival’s third edition will take place Nov. 30-Dec. 9 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Alongside an international line-up that includes Michael Mann’s Ferrari, Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, Ava Duvernay’s Origin and Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron, the Red Sea festival is a showcase for new Arab cinema.

Here’s The Hollywood Reporter‘s pick of six new titles from across the region that expand the image of Arab movies, ranging from a jinn fantasy romance and a coming-of-age drama to an adventure thriller featuring a vengeance-seeking camel.

Hwjn, opening film

A local Saudi Arabian movie will raise the curtain on the Red Sea Festival for the first time this year,...

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival stands as testimony to the kingdom’s unwavering drive to become a film and TV industry powerhouse amid regional conflicts, political turbulence and societal changes.

The Israel-Hamas war caused cancellations of several movie celebrations across the Arab world, including the Cairo Film Festival and Tunisia’s Carthage Film Days. But Saudi’s rapidly growing fest is forging ahead undeterred with its third edition set to run Nov. 30-Dec. 9 in Jeddah, on the Red Sea’s eastern shore.

In early October, after the war broke out, “we were assessing the situation day by day,” recalls pioneering Saudi producer and philanthropist Mohammed Al Turki, the event’s CEO, who notes that Red Sea organizers at that point reached out to filmmakers in the Middle East and North Africa region for feedback “and they almost had a heart attack when we told them we might not continue.

Diane Kruger, Indian actor Ranveer Singh, Joel Kinnaman, Freida Pinto and Paz Vega are set to add star power to the third edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire, Knight of Cups), Vega (Sex and Lucía, The Oa), Kinnaman (Silent Night, For All Mankind, Suicide Squad) and Egypt’s Amina Khalil (Grand Hotel, Eugenie Nights) are joining the event’s main feature competition jury, which will be led by Baz Luhrmann.

The Red Sea: Shorts competition will be judged by jurors Hana Alomair, a Saudi writer, filmmaker and film critic behind Netflix series Whispers; French-Moroccan actor Assaad Bouab (Call My Agent, Whatever Lola Wants); and Turkish-German director, screenwriter and producer Fatih Akin (Head-On, In the Fade).

Organizers on Monday also unveiled that Singh, Kruger and Saudi actor and writer Abdullah Al-Sadhan will be honored at the fest.

“This year we are honoring Ranveer Singh,...

Diane Kruger, Bollywood star Ranveer Singh and Saudi actor-writer Abdullah Al-Sadhan are set to receive career honors at Saudi Arabia’s upcoming Red Sea International Film Festival, which has also announced its full jury roster.

Joining Baz Luhrmann, who is presiding over the main Red Sea jury, are Swedish-American actor Joel Kinnaman (“Suicide Squad”); Freida Pinto (“Slumdog Millionaire”); Egyptian actor Amina Khalil; (“Grand Hotel”) and Spain’s Paz Vega.

Meanwhile, Turkish-German director Fatih Akin, who directed Kruger in “In The Fade,” will be on the fest’s shorts competition jury alongside Saudi writer and film critic Hana Alomair, who is behind the Netflix Saudi Arabian original “Whispers,” and French-Moroccan actor Assad Bouab (“Call My Agent”).

Dubai-based Iraqi director Yasir Al-Yasiri’s “Hwjn” has been chosen as the opening film of Saudi Arabia’s upcoming Red Sea International Film Festival.

The fest’s third edition is set to kick off Nov.

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival has unveiled the juries and honorees of its third edition which kicks off on Thursday in the port city of Jeddah.

Baz Luhrmann, who was previously announced as the president of the jury for the main feature film competition, will be joined by Swedish-American Suicide Squad and For All Mankind actor Joel Kinnaman, Slumdog Millionaire Bafta nominee actor Freida Pinto, Egyptian Grand Hotel star Amina Khalil and Spanish actor Paz Vega.

The Red Sea: Shorts competition will be judged by leading Saudi writer, director and film critic Hana Alomair, French-Moroccan Call My Agent! star Assad Bouab and award-winning Turkish-German film director, screenwriter and producer Fatih Akin.

“We have a cohort of immense talent in this year’s jury, representing some of the leading creators of cinema from all corners of the world – and we are thrilled to...

Films from Sofia Coppola, Ava Duvernay, John Woo and Hayao Miyazaki to be screened.

Michael Mann’s Ferrari will receive its Mena premiere as the closing night film of the 3rd Red Sea International Film Festival (Red Sea Iff), which has also unveiled the titles for its International Spectacular strand.

The hotly-tipped awards contender will close the festival on December 7 in the port city of Jeddah.

The film, starring Adam Driver as iconic car manufacturer Enzo Ferrari, received the backing of the Red Sea Film Foundation – the festival’s parent body – earlier this year

It received its world premiere in...

The Red Sea International Film Festival (Rsiff) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia will wrap up its third edition next month with a closing-night gala screening on Dec. 7 of Ferrari, the biopic from Michael Mann starring Adam Driver, Penelope Cruz, Shailene Woodley and Patrick Dempsey.

Organizers on Wednesday also unveiled the lineup for the International Spectacular program, which presents “cinema from around the globe and features celebrated auteurs and international filmmaking icons.” The festival highlighted that the section “showcases some of the most highly anticipated and talked about films of the year, screened for the first time in the Arab world.”

The International Spectacular program will also feature Sofia Coppola’s biopic Priscilla, Ava Duvernay’s Origin, John Woo’s Silent Night, Léa Domenach’s Bernadette (The President’s Wife), which sees Catherine Deneuve starring as former French first lady Bernadette Chirac, Aardman’s Sam Fell-directed Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget,...

Michael Mann’s high octane biopic Ferrari has been announced as the closing picture of Saudi Arabia’s third Red Sea International Film Festival, running November 30 to December 9 in the port city of Jeddah.

The movie, starring Adam Driver as legendary Italian motor-racing driver and entrepreneur Enzo Ferrari, alongside Penelope Cruz and Shailene Woodley as his wife and lover respectively, world premiered at Venice and has since played a raft of festivals.

The closing night gala screening will mark the film’s Mena premiere, with Jeddah providing a fitting backdrop having hosted the first three editions of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on its waterfront Corniche Circuit since 2021.

Ferrari was among a raft of high-profile titles to receive the backing of the festival’s parent body the Red Sea Film Foundation earlier this year alongside Johnny Depp’s Modi and Guy Ritchie’s The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

“It is...

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival will open its third edition, running from November 30 to December 9, with local movie Hwjn, a fantasy romance combining Arabian folklore with modern themes that unfolds against the backdrop of the event’s home of Jeddah.

Deadline exclusively revealed a trailer for the production earlier this year. Watch it here.

The choice of a Saudi movie marks a break with Red Sea’s first two editions – which kicked off with English-language features Cyrano and What’s Love Got To Do With It? in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

Hwjn is the most ambitious production to date to come out of a partnership between major Gulf players Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Vox Studios and Mbc Studios first announced in Cannes in 2019.

“Opening the festival with a highly anticipated film like Hwjn is a momentous event,” Rsiff Arab Programs & Film Classics Director Antoine Khalife said of the opening night honor,...

Story of a kind-hearted jinn is a co-production from Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Mbc Studios and Vox Studios.

Red Sea International Film Festival has set the world premiere of Saudi feature Hwjn, directed by Yasir Al Yasiri, as its opening-night gala on November 30.

Adapted from the young adult fantasy novel by Ibraheem Abbas, Hwjn combines elements of Arabian folklore with modern themes.

A co-production from leading regional players Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Mbc Studios and Vox Studios, Hwjn is set in modern-day Jeddah and follows the story of a kind-hearted jinn. As he discovers the truth about his royal lineage,...

Dubai-based Iraqi director Yasir Al-Yasiri’s “Hwjn” has been chosen as the opening film of Saudi Arabia’s upcoming Red Sea International Film Festival.

The fest’s third edition is set to run Nov. 30-Dec. 9 in Jeddah, on the Red Sea’s eastern shore, which is also the city where “Hwjn” is set. The fantasy is based on the YA novel by Saudi writer Ibraheem Abbas which was a local literary phenomenon due to its pioneering combination of Western sci-fi tropes and Arabic culture and folklore.

Set in modern-day Jeddah, “Hwjn” follows the story of a kind-hearted jinn – as invisible creatures in pre-Islamic Arabia and later in Islamic culture and beliefs are known – as he discovers the truth about his royal lineage. The protagonist, named Baraa Alem, goes on an epic journey to reclaim his birthright and maintain his mental balance between the human and supernatural worlds.

“Hwjn” is one...

The Red Sea International Film Festival will open with a local Saudi Arabian film for the first time, with Yasir Al Yasiri’s fantasy romance Hwjn set to raise the curtain on the third edition of the Jeddah event on Nov. 30.

Adapted from the best-selling young adult fantasy novel by Ibraheem Abbas, Hwjn blends Arabian folklore and modern themes for a story set in modern-day Jeddah and follows a kind-hearted jinn (Baraa Alem) on an epic journey to reclaim his birthright. Along the way, he meets and develops an unexpected romantic connection with Sawsan (Nour Alkhadra), a young medical student. Hwjn, which had already been announced as screening at the festival in the Arab Spectacular section, is one of the biggest projects to date under a 2018 production partnership between regional giants Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Mbc Studios and Vox Studios.

“The story of Hwjn is an epic tale of romance,...

The Red Sea International Film Festival (Red Sea Iff) has announced details of this year's selection of films from Saudi Arabia, alongside the Arab Spectacular and Red Sea: Competition features strands. Collectively, these strands will showcase the rich and varied work by established and new filmmakers from the region, including documentaries and titles produced by the Red Sea Film Foundation.

The third edition of the Rsiff – running from 30 November to 9 December – providesa unique and powerful platform for celebrating film, connecting cultures, and expanding horizons while welcoming stories from all walks of life. It is a comprehensive cinematic platform that promotes diversity in all facets of filmmaking, elevating it beyond just a film screening event. These ideas of diversity, connection, and cultural exchange are manifested in this year's theme; “Your Story, Your Festival”.

While celebrating cinema on a global scale, Red Sea Iff throws a spotlight on films made in the...

Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut Woman Of The Hour and family drama Mother Couch, starring Ewan McGregor and Ellen Burstyn, are headed to the third edition of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival, running from November 30 to December 9 in the port city of Jeddah.

The titles will play in the Festival Favorites sidebar which was announced on Thursday alongside the event’s Red Sea: Treasures strand.

Kendrick directs and stars in Netflix-acquired drama Woman Of The Hour as a woman whose path crosses notorious serial killer Rodney Alcala, whilst in Niclas Larsson’s first film Mother Couch, McGregor plays a man whose mother squats the family furniture store.

Further films in the line-up – showcasing 21 buzzy festival titles from the last 12 months – include the David Oyelowo produced documentary Allihopa: The Dalkurd Story; Women’s World Cup doc Copa 71, executive produced by Serena and Venus Williams, Jennifer Esposito’s Fresh Kills,...

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...

The Red Sea International Film Festival has unveiled its selection of 36 movies from Saudi Arabia, as well as its Arab Spectacular and Red Sea: Competition lineups for this year’s third edition.

“Collectively, these strands will showcase the rich and varied work by established and new filmmakers from the region, including documentaries and titles produced by the Red Sea Film Foundation,” organizers said on Monday.

The program will put a spotlight on films made in the Middle East and North Africa region, featuring 36 feature-length and short films from Saudi Arabia. “The lineup includes internationally recognized talent plus new voices; from Maïwenn’s historical romance Jeanne du Barry, starring Johnny Depp which opened at Cannes with support from the Red Sea International Film Financing arm, to Kaouther Ben Hania with Four Daughters, nominated as Tunisia’s submission for international feature at the forthcoming Academy Awards,” the festival said. “Further directors selected...

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival has unveiled it 2023 line-up and theme as it maintains its third edition against the backdrop of the escalating Israel-Gaza Conflict. (scroll down for full list)

The edition, running from November 30 to December 9 in the port city of Jeddah, will unfold under the theme of “Your Story, Your Festival”.

Among the key sections announced on Monday was the Red Sea International Film Festival: In Competition section which will showcase 17 narrative and documentary features from Asia, Africa, and the Arab world.

Contenders include UK-Palestinian director Farah Nabulsi critically-acclaimed West Bank-set first feature The Teacher, Tunisian-Moroccan filmmaking couple Afef Ben Mahmoud and Khalil Benkirane’s Atlas Mountains-set, theatre troupe road movie Backstage, Tawfik Alzaidi’s Norah, which is billed as the first Saudi feature shot in the country’s growing location hub of AlUla, and Iranian director Parviz Shahbazi’s drama Roxana, for which its...