How Red Sea Fund Is Revitalizing Arab Cinema: ‘I Want Our Films to Explore All Aspects of Life’

variety.com:

Rafa Sales Ross Guest Contributor The Red Sea Fund—the financing arm of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Foundation—was created in 2019 to support emerging filmmakers and established talent from the Arab world and Africa.

In the five years since, the fund has supported over 230 films from more than 40 countries, including Kaouther Ben Hania’s Oscar-nominated “Four Daughters” and Saudi box office hit “Mandoob.” Other films backed by the fund went on to premiere at the world’s biggest festivals, including Cannes, Berlin, Venice and Toronto. “We just can’t believe it.

We’ve had so many achievements happen in such a short window of time,” head of the Red Sea Fund Emad Eskander tells Variety. “When I first got the role in 2021, I remember writing one of the weakest visions anybody could write.

I said: By 2027, we should have some form of presence at the Oscars. This year, seven of our films were shortlisted for best international film with ‘Four Daughters’ landing a nomination.” One thing Eskander was adamant on was that he wanted to be surrounded by fellow filmmakers in the selection panel, a strategy he believes has worked to the fund’s advantage. “It makes us a very emotional team but also one that understands what is at stake,” he says. “We go over project by project, discussing every detail.” The committee decides on grants that go from $25,000 to development projects to up to $500,000 for projects in production.