“We aspire to create a new, descriptive way of searching video content,” the team said on its website. It was developed by Finnish startup Valossa, a company that was founded by computer science researchers and engineers from Finland’s University of Oulu. You can check out our deep dive interview with Red Sea Managing Director Shivani Pandya Malhotra here.A site called simply “ What is my movie?” was created to showcase some next-level fuzzy search and deep search technology. We look forward to welcoming everyone to Jeddah for a packed programme of screenings, events and much more.” The Festival will also serve as a launchpad for young Saudi and Arab talent, support the development of our flourishing industry, introduce international Festival guests to our vibrant creative scene and bring together the global film industry to network, share knowledge and forge partnerships. Mohammed Al-Turki, RedSeaIFF’s Chairman of the Committee says, “This is truly a landmark moment as we launch our first international Film Festival to celebrate original cinematic voices and showcase an extensive selection of films from around the world to local, regional and international audiences. Immediately following the Souk, the festival will hold Talent Days, a two-day initiative designed to support the development of the next generation of Saudi filmmakers. The Souk will also showcase over 20 local and regional exhibiting companies including, buyers, sales agents, film commissions, distributors, and exhibitors. It will run from December 8-11, alongside the festival and features a masterclass with Chilean editor Andrea Chignoli and a panel with Palestinian filmmakers Hany Abu-Assad, Annemarie Jacir and Rashid Masharawi. The Red Sea Souk, the festival’s industry market, will offer a program of curated events to foster co-production, international distribution, and new business opportunities. The International Spectacular double gala presentation begins with Academy-Award winner Giuseppe Tornatore’s latest, Ennio, and Ana Lily Amirpour’s fantasy thriller Mona Lisa And The Blood Moon. The festival will further honor former French Culture Minister Jack Lang who is President of Paris’ Institut du Monde Arabe.Īmong other films in the fest are Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Lost Daughter and Nabil Ayouch’s Casablanca Beats which premiered in Cannes. Veteran Egyptian actress and singer Yousra will also deliver a masterclass while Catherine Deneuve is due to join the festival celebrations.ĭiscussions providing insight into their careers will be held by Haifaa Al-Mansour, Tunisian actress Hend Sabry and Franco-Argentinian director Gaspar Noé. The Festival will be celebrating women and will honor Saudi filmmaker Haifaa Al-Mansour and Egyptian actress Laila Eloui. The selection of films speaks to the continued strength of filmmaking, as well as pointing to where the future of the industry is headed.”Īlongside the Red Sea Competition, Red Carpet Galas and Special Presentations, the festival will host a range of cinema in the following sections: Festival Favourites, New Saudi/New Cinema, Red Sea Treasures, Red Sea Arab and International Spectacular, Red Sea Next Generation, Red Sea Immersive and Red Sea Episodic. Kaleem Aftab, Director of International Programming for the fest, says, “Telling stories from fresh perspectives, the Red Sea Competition is both a celebration of the continued success of established filmmakers and exciting new work coming from emerging talent. International Disruptors: 'The Lost Daughter' Producer & 'Barbarians' Writer-Director Charles Dorfman Lays Out Creative & Commercial Ambitions Memento