Vin Diesel Says There Are ‘More Familiar Faces’ at Red Sea Film Festival Opening Night ‘Than Awards Shows in America’ While Picking Up Career Tribute
variety.comRafa Sales Ross Guest Contributor Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival kicked off its fourth edition on Thursday with the world premiere of Karim Shenawi’s Egyptian drama “The Tale of Daye’s Family” and a glitzy red carpet featuring Will Smith, Emily Blunt, Cynthia Erivo, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Eva Longoria, Michelle Yeoh, Minnie Driver, Michael Douglas and Vin Diesel, the latter of whom received the festival’s Iconic Characters Award.
Diesel took to the stage after a warm introduction by his long-time collaborator Michelle Rodríguez, who said the two have “been creatively in rooms defending storytelling, people with our colored skin and the beauty of the streets and the people who don’t necessarily live by the rules of others.” Accepting the award, the actor quipped about the star-filled room: “There might be more familiar faces here than in some awards shows in America,” he said, adding that he doesn’t usually speaks so freely at Hollywood events but he felt inspired by the “warmth in the room.” Before leaving the stage, Diesel pointed out seat mate Will Smith, saying his colleague was “having so much fun” at the festival.
The ceremony, which saw its high-profile members take their seats over an hour and a half late, also featured career achievement awards for Emily Blunt, Indian star Aamir Khan and Egyptian actress Mona Zaki.
This year’s festival theme of “Home” alludes to the event’s return to its original headquarters of Al-Balad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the heart of the historic city centre in Jeddah.
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