The Red Sea International Film Festival on Wednesday unveiled the lineups for its New Vision and Series strands at the event’s fourth edition in December, featuring new Saudi voices, the Vatican, a new Zorro series with The Artist star Jean Dujardin, an English historian, a deep dive into Turkish telenovela series, and a lot of art. “This year marks the first time Saudi works have been selected in New Vision, underscoring the vibrant evolution of local and regional cinema, while the Series strand highlights exciting new voices from the small screen with four new international television shows,” organizers highlighted.
The 2024 edition of the RSIFF takes place Dec. 5-14 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia after a star-studded 2023 festival.
Four out of the five films in the Red Sea: New Vision strand are Saudi movies. “Saudi voices take center stage this year alongside a diverse selection of international films and series, highlighting the Kingdom’s cultural renaissance while highlighting global creativity and innovation,” organizers said.
The Saudi features cover such topics as a Jeddah artist; a Saudi artist’s relationship with the art of Italy and the Vatican; the artistic legacy of Roshans, wooden facades that are architectural landmarks in Makkah, Jeddah, and Medina, Saudi Arabia; and the Layan Cultural Foundation’s mission of preserving the country’s heritage for future generations.
Meanwhile, an international co-production in the program is described as “a documentary that leaps between nostalgia and ambition as parkour becomes a metaphor for resilience in the face of an uncertain future.”
“Saudi Arabia’s vibrant art scene pulses through the heart of several films, capturing the energy, creativity, and ambition of its artists,” said Antoine Khalife, director of Arab programs and film classics at the fest. “With brushstrokes of passion and sculptures of bold vision, Saudi directors bring to life the stories of painters, sculptors, and other creatives who have shaped the country’s artistic landscape, inviting us to see the world through their eyes. We hold a special affection for the New Vision section, which celebrates groundbreaking directors whose films dance between documentary and fiction. These films delve into real lives with a human touch, offering fresh and thought-provoking perspectives.”
Meanwhile, four new international TV shows will be screened in the Red Sea Series program “with a focus on diverse genres, including horror and adventure,” organizers said.
“The selection this year highlights how television is a great long-form way to tell histories and relay episodic stories,” said Kaleem Aftab, director of international programming for the RSIFF. “Just as is happening with cinematic works, television is also embracing all formats and genres, especially horror. It’s an audience-led revolution in storytelling and this year’s selection has exciting documentaries, ghost stories, and swashbuckling adventures.”
Among the series are Jean Baptiste Saurel’s Zorro, which takes audiences back to Los Angeles at the turn of the 19th century, and Lost Worlds With Bettany Hughes: The Nabateans, in which the English historian dives into the history of the Nabateans, an ancient Arab people.
Check out the full lineups for the RSIFF’s New Vision and Series strands below.
Red Sea: New Vision
ALROSHAN, directed by Mohammed OusSaudi ArabiaA deep dive into the long history of the Roshan, the traditional carved wooden screens that shield Saudi windows from the desert sun.
KEMOKAZI, directed by Abdulrahman BatawieSaudi ArabiaJeddah artist Kemokazi wrestles – sometimes literally – with his purpose as an artist.
OTHMAN IN THE VATICAN, directed by Yasir Bin GhanemSaudi ArabiaInternationally esteemed Saudi artist Othman Al-Khozaim reflects on his lifelong relationship with the artistic spirit of Italy.
WHEN THE LIGHT SHINES, directed by Ryan Al BishriSaudi ArabiaThe enthusiasm and deep knowledge of a Saudi prince – H. H. Prince Faisal bin Abdullah – drove the formation of the Layan Cultural Foundation, which preserves Saudi’s artistic history for the future.
YALLA PARKOUR, directed by Areeb ZuaiterSweden, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi ArabiaAreeb seeks a memory that reinforces her sense of belonging and encounters Ahmad, a parkour athlete in Gaza. Their journey intertwines conflicting aspirations as nostalgia meets ambition, and the weight of her past confronts an uncertain future.
Red Sea: Series
GHOST TRAIN, directed by Se-Woong TakSouth KoreaA YouTube creator wanting more followers seeks out ghosts in a Korean subway station filled with spooky stories.
LOST WORLDS WITH BETTANY HUGHES: THE NABATAEANS, directed by Jim GreayerU.K., Saudi Arabia, Oman, Greece and JordanStarting in AlUla in Saudi Arabia, Bettany Hughes goes on a fascinating journey of rediscovering the history of the Nabateans.
TALES ON BANKS OF THE BOSPHORUS, directed by Zeina Sfeir, idea and research by Bissan TayLebanon, Egypt, TurkeyOver just 10 years, Turkish “telenovela” series have become a boom industry, exported across great swathes of the world. What is the secret of this success?
ZORRO, directed by Jean Baptiste SaurelBelgium, FranceWhen he becomes the mayor of Los Angeles, Don Diego de la Vega has to bring back his alter ego Zorro to save the town. Starring Jean Dujardin.
