Saudi Red Sea Film Festival open for new challenge

Saudi Arabia - The Red Sea International Film Festival, in collaboration with Alliance Française and film and TV school La Fémis, has announced that applications for its 48-hour film challenge are open.

The festival was set to kick off earlier this year with its inaugural event on March 12, but was postponed due to the pandemic.

“It has become clear that the idea of hosting a physical event in 2020 with no social distancing measures in place is remiss. For this reason, we are declaring the inaugural Red Sea Film Festival as a ‘Label Edition’,” the organizers said in a statement.

“We want to thank all the filmmakers, juries, industry teams, staff and partners. We would also like to let you know that our new thinking is to host the 2nd edition of The Red Sea Film Festival in the second half of 2021.”

The statement said in the meantime, the Red Sea Film Foundation will continue to support the burgeoning Saudi film industry, as well as local and regional filmmakers.

With its 48-hour challenge, the festival is inviting aspiring filmmakers — Saudis or residents — between the ages of 18 and 25.

Those interested can apply in teams of a minimum of two and maximum of five people. The team leader, either the director or scriptwriter, should be a Saudi national.

The application form requests details such as why applicants want to participate, how they spent their time under lockdown, a short script and links to previous work.

Once accepted, applicants will undergo three days of technical workshops and mentorship prior to the two-day shoot, which will take place on Oct. 22 and 24. The final result should be a short film that is three to six minutes long.

There is no restriction on whether the film is a documentary, fiction, non-fiction or narrative, but applicants have to choose from one of the following themes: Decoding playing, creating or thinking.

They also have to choose from one of the following sub-themes: Memory, time, technology or breath.

Twenty-four hours before the challenge, all shortlisted teams will be presented with a new element that they will have to include in their film.

The two winning team leaders will be awarded the “48Hr Film Challenge Trophy” and a residency at La Fémis in France in 2021.