RED SEA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES THE BEST SHORT FILMS FROM EMERGING SAUDI FILMMAKERS

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – 25th October 2021

The Red Sea International Film Festival (RedSeaIFF), which is set to take place from 6-15 December,

today announced its first slate of shorts that will be showcased at the Festival’s inaugural edition.

The 15 announced titles are part of the ‘New Saudi/New Cinema Shorts Program, which showcases up-

and-coming Saudi filmmakers, displaying a careful curation of animated shorts, documentary shorts

and fiction shorts.

Edouard Waintrop, Artistic Director of the RedSeaIFF said: ‘New Saudi/New Cinema’ is an opportunity

for the RedSeaIFF to showcase the diverse aspects of Saudi society, celebrating the creativity,

originality of emerging Saudi filmmakers. The Shorts programme in particular allows unique and diverse

work to be displayed, and we’re looking forward to sharing these works with local and international

audiences.”

Mohyee Qari, Program Manager at the RedSeaIFF, added: “Within ‘New Saudi/New Cinema,’

audiences will be able to find stories told by ambitious, young enthusiastic directors who have the

potential to take the Saudi cinema to the next level. Some stories will introduce viewers to the truth of

modern-day local cultures, while others will take audiences back to the 1960s or to an imagined future

of the 2090s. Common amongst all these fantastic chosen shorts is the chance for audiences to

experience stories and life from a distinctly new Saudi perspective.”

In My Dear Fiction, directed by and starring Ahsan Minhas, a man narrates a crazy story about the

comedy and dark side of heartbreak, what happens during it and how one could find perseverance after

it.

Professional Scammer, directed by and starring Abdul Hameed Hassan Alam, takes the audience to

the classic world, telling the story of an unemployed person who tries to steal from people ironically, but

finds that fate has something in store for him that he never expected.

The Window of Life is a short and personal documentary, in which director Hayder Dawood attempts

to understand broader meanings about life, attitude, emotions, and the environment, by raising

questions and exploring the movement inside vehicles.

Hallucinated, directed by Mohammed Basalamah, tells the story of Moayd, a deliveryman, struggling

with insomnia. As his insomnia worsens, he becomes unable to distinguish between reality and his

hallucinations.

In Little Bird, directed by Khalid Fahad, Malik lives alone in the world, facing fateful challenges in his

life.

The Palm Witch, directed by HalaAlhaid, tells the story of two friends who set off in the old city of

Riyadh looking for their lost pet, as an evil night which comes after them.

Whisper Down The LaneDirected by Raghad Albarqi, is an experimental, animated short film,

exploring the concepts of communication, self-destruction, and the domino effect. It takes the audience

on a linear journey, following a string of interconnected phone calls between five individuals that

eventually escalate to a bigger conflict.

Red Circle, directed by and starring Abdulaziz Sarhan, is an inspirational and motivating short. It tells

the story of a Middle Eastern man, having a hard time telling his simple story to his English storytelling

class, as he faces major issues, including comparison, during the writing process.

Panting, directed by Hassan Saeed, Marco finds himself in a maze between reality and virtual reality,

as he seeks to meet the girl he met on social media.

Covida the 19 th Directed by Omar Al Omirat, showcases another perspective of life during the COVID-

19 pandemic. It highlights changing lifestyles, as the public and a family survive quarantine, with their

lives, ultimately, becoming better.

Alrufea, directed by Abbas Alshuwayfie, is a documentarythat showcases an old neighbourhood,

highlighting the intimacy of the community.

The Jakar, Directed by Abdulaziz Saleh, tells the story of an annual boat race which was held for over

100 years, before being forced off by the construction of Jeddah’s Islamic Seaport. Today, the boats

are docked and locked away at what is sometimes referred to as "Al-sanabeek Cemetery". This is an

exciting story told from the perspective of one of the grandchildren of the race’s founders, and the

people of the port-side district.

The Day I Lost Myself, directed by and starring Rami Alzayer, tells the story of Salem, who is having a

quarter-life crisis. Before an interview, he finds himself stuck in an elevator with an old man, where

something happens that changes the course of his life.

Acceptance Land, directed by Mansour Assad, is set in 2096, in a post-World War III world. A

homeless maid struggles to take care of a child, in a time where everyone is represented by the colour

of their clothes.

Hide and Seek, Directed by Mohammad Helal, revolves around a girl being chased by a demon who

makes her friends search for her.

The inaugural edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival will run in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from

December 6-15, 2021.