In its fourth year the Red Sea International Film Festival maintained its industry platform, the Red Sea Souk, running alongside the main event. This year’s market concluded with an awards ceremony that handed out over USD $900,000 in prizes to emerging talent from the Arab world, Africa, and Asia. The Souk, held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from 7-11 December, celebrated a diverse lineup of feature films and series.

Katia Jarjoura’s “Robbing Beirut” grabbed the the prestigious USD $75,000 Red Sea Souk Production Award. A Lebanon-France co-production, the film tells the story of a woman who turns to bank robbery to fund her sister’s leukemia treatment amid Lebanon’s economic crisis. Producer Michel Zana said, “This film captures the desperate choices made in dire circumstances.”

Moroccan filmmaker Asmae El Moudir, received multiple awards for her new project “Holy Cow,” including the USD $50,000 Arab Radio and Television Network (ART) Award and an USD 8,500 CNC Prize. El Moudir is coming off her Cannes-winning debut “The Mother of All Lies.” Her new film examines a diplomatic crisis caused by two escaped cows. “The Red Sea Souk has been a fantastic platform for expanding the reach of our stories,” El Moudir said.

Iraqi-Kurdish director Halkawt Mustafa’s “Farouk” won the USD $10,000 Impronta Films Award. Mustafa brought the documentary “Hiding Saddam Hussein” to RSIFF in 2023. His new work explores themes of identity and resilience in his new project.

Other prize winners include:

• “Blue Card” by Mohamed Al’Omda (Sudan/Egypt) – Winner of the USD $70,000 Red Sea Labs Production Award for a Red Sea Lodge project.
• “Pepo Kali” by Lydia Matata (Kenya) – Recipient of the USD $50,000 Red Sea Labs Production Award.
• “Watch It Burn” by Makbul Mubarak (Indonesia) – Honored with the USD $30,000 Red Sea Souk Development Award.

The Souk’s post-production awards were led by Levan Koguashvili’s “Guria” (Georgia), which nabbed the USD $40,000 Red Sea Souk Post-Production Award. Qiu JiongJiong’s “Fuxi” (China) won a USD $15,000 jury special mention.

This year’s Red Sea Souk saw 142 exhibitors from 32 countries participate, a huge increase over previous editions. It also marked the first time that the Souk was open to projects from Asia, with nearly 28% of submissions coming from the region.

Director of the Red Sea Souk Holly Daniel noted, “The caliber and potential of this year’s projects were truly exceptional, reflecting the depth of talent in these regions.”

Shivani Pandya Malhotra, Managing Director of the Red Sea Film Foundation, emphasized the Souk’s mission: “We aim to be the ultimate platform for Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. These regions represent two-thirds of the global population and 35% of the world’s box office. Through initiatives like the Souk, we’re committed to elevating these voices.”

“I am confident that in the near future we will be hearing several collaborations and deals germinated from the Souk,” she added.