Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The Red Sea International Film Festival has announced that it is once again joining forces with MBC GROUP — the largest and leading media company in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). MBC GROUP returns as Festival partner for the second edition set to take place December 1 — 10, 2022.

Given the exceptional scope of this global cinematic event in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, this major partnership is of strategic importance to the Red Sea International Film Festival, which brings together and celebrates the best of local, Arab, and international cinema in Jeddah.

As part of its partnership with MBC GROUP, the Red Sea International Film Festival will collaborate with its Festival partner to promote film culture and enable audiences across the Arab world and beyond to discover the cinematic masterpieces that will be revealed at the Festival.

As part of its mission to contribute to developing the growing film industry in the Kingdom, MBC GROUP will play an integral part in the conduction of various mentorship and training sessions at the “Talent Days” Festival program, scheduled to take place December 7 — 8, 2022. Comprising workshops, keynote speeches, panel discussions and more, Talent Days is designed to develop and equip aspiring and emerging producers, scriptwriters, and filmmakers in the region with the tools and knowledge needed to excel in the film industry. The program will cover a wide range of issues relating to the industry courtesy of renowned local, regional, and international experts.

Commenting on the partnership with MBC Group, Mohammed Al Turki, CEO of the Red Sea International Film Festival, stated: "Cinema mirrors society and impacts it, and can be leveraged to drive forward positive change. We’re thrilled to collaborate once again with MBC Group — the leading media group in the region — as our Festival partner, as it bolsters our efforts to facilitate the growth of the film industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world, allowing ideas to transcend geographical boundaries."

Sam Barnett, CEO of MBC GROUP, added: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is home to fantastic entertainment and film talent, and with the recent developments that have helped encourage and inspire the future stars of the industry, we at MBC GROUP are fully invested in amplifying this vision. We’re delighted to be, once again, partnering with the Red Sea International Film Festival as we look forward to welcoming a sensational second edition.”

As mentioned earlier, the strategic partnership also extends to awards at the Red Sea Souk. Shahid, the world’s leading Arabic streaming platform by MBC GROUP and MBC ACADEMY, will present awards to three Red Sea Souk and Red Sea Lodge selected projects by Saudi and Arab directors. The awards will amount to $120,000 for the first winner; $70,000 for the second; and $40,000 for the third, and will serve in the development and production of the film projects. 

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About the Red Sea International Film Festival

The second edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival will bring the best in Arab and World Cinema to Jeddah, nestled on the eastern shore of the Red Sea. The Festival will showcase a compelling slate of new and diverse films, alongside a retrospective program celebrating the masters of cinema as well as introducing audiences to exciting new voices from the region and beyond. The Festival will provide a platform for Arab filmmakers and industry professionals from around the world to connect, host feature and short film competitions, and present a series of events, masterclasses, and workshops to support emerging talent.

Running alongside the Festival is the Red Sea Souk, the Festival’s industry market, designed for global exchange and partnerships between the international and Saudi film industries. The four-day market will offer a packed program of curated events to foster co-production, international distribution, and new business opportunities. The Souk offers unbeatable access to the new vibrant Saudi scene, as well as the best of the Arab market through pitching sessions, one-on-one meetings, screenings, industry talks, and networking events.

The Red Sea International Film Festival will take place from December 1 -10, 2022.

For further press information:  media@redseafilmfest.com

About MBC GROUP:

MBC GROUP is the largest and leading media company in the Middle East & North Africa region that enriches people’s lives through information, interaction and entertainment. In 2002, nearly a decade after the launch of MBC1 in London, in 1991, MBC GROUP moved its headquarters to Dubai Media City, United Arab Emirates. In September 2022, MBC GROUP launched its new headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Today, MBC GROUP includes over 17 leading TV channels: MBC1 (general family entertainment); MBC2 & MBC MAX (24-hour western movies); MBC3 (children’s edutainment with a mix of both local productions and western acquisitions); MBC4 (entertainment for young families with a female-focus); MBC Action (an indigenous adrenaline-packed channel targeting young males with local and home-grown productions); MBC Variety (Western films and general entertainment with uninterrupted broadcasting); MBC DRAMA (24/7 Arabic drama) & MBC+ Drama (a joint pay-TV channel between MBC and OSN); MBC PERSIA (general family entertainment dubbed and subtitled in Farsi); Wanasah (24-hour Arabic music channel); MBC Masr & MBC Masr2 (general family entertainment geared towards the Egyptian family); MBC Bollywood (delivering the freshest in Bollywood content geared towards the region via an Arabized interface); MBC USA (on “Dish Network” in the US); MBC Iraq (a premium channel aimed at the entire Iraqi family), MBC5 (new satellite channel dedicated to the Maghreb); all of them benefit from MBC Studios which produces the region’s most compelling premium content for cinema, television and on-demand platforms. MBC GROUP also includes two FM radio stations: MBC FM (Gulf music) and Panorama FM (contemporary Arabic hit music).

Furthermore, part of MBC GROUP is Shahid, the world’s leading Arabic streaming platform, home to highly rated original productions from the Arab world, a wide range of exclusive movies and premieres, as well as the top watched live Arab TV channels.