The Red Sea Fund, a program of the Red Sea International Film Festival, has announced the selection of 30 projects in the first and second rounds of 2026, out of 916 applications. This initiative aims to discover and support promising cinematic voices from Saudi Arabia, the Arab region, Africa, and Asia, and assist projects in various stages of film production. The fund's efforts have led to the international recognition of films from the first round.
Films like "Beneath the Palms" by Mary Clementine Dosabigamjo and "Tears of the Earth" by Leila Merrakchi participated in the "Un Certain Regard" section at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, with "Beneath the Palms" winning the Golden Camera award. At the Toronto International Film Festival, "The Four Seasons in Java" by Kamila Andini and "Ang" by Thelja Rieu had their world premieres, with "Ang" winning the Platform Prize.
The Venice Film Festival saw the world premiere of "Al-Baraniyah" by Ashjan Al-Hims, while "The Hearing" by Li Bao participated in the Locarno Film Festival. The first round, focused on post-production projects, received 220 applications, a record high since the fund's inception, with 13 projects selected for support. The second round, dedicated to production projects, received 696 applications, with 17 projects chosen for funding.
The second round's selected projects include five Saudi films: "Remind Me to Forget" by Lamees Jamjoum, "Green Corpse" by Khalid Zaidan, "Maria's Vacation" by Raed Al-Samari, "Sea House" by Yaser Hammam, and "Microwave" by Mishari Al-Moreek. These films are feature-length, documentary, and short films.
Faisal Al-Balawi, CEO of the Red Sea International Film Festival, stated that the selected projects reflect the fund's mission to discover talented filmmakers and support ambitious projects that can reach a wider audience. The international recognition of the first round's films demonstrates the quality of the selected projects.
The Red Sea Fund's selections continue its efforts to build a sustainable film industry ecosystem, supporting filmmakers from early stages to completion and release. This initiative enhances the presence of new cinematic voices from Saudi Arabia, the Arab region, and the world on the international stage.
The fund's activities promote the growth of the film industry, providing opportunities for emerging talent to showcase their work. With a focus on collaboration and support, the Red Sea Fund aims to contribute to the development of a vibrant cinematic landscape in the region.
Key points
- The Red Sea Fund selected 30 cinema projects out of 916 applications in 2026.
- The fund supports projects in various stages of film production, from post-production to production.
- The selected projects include five Saudi films, showcasing the fund's commitment to regional talent.
