The Red Sea Souk Awards Winners Announced in the RSIFF 2024

Red Sea Souk - 2024 Award Winners - Red Sea International Film Festival
JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA ( December 11, 2024 ) -

The Red Sea Souk has announced the winners of its Project Market during today’s Souk Awards Ceremony, spotlighting standout projects from a curated selection of 31 feature films and 7 series. These remarkable projects, helmed by visionary directors from the Arab world, Africa, and Asia, were recognized with an impressive array of cash prizes and in-kind support.

Highlighting the evening, the Red Sea Fund backed nine awards—two for works-in-progress and seven for projects in development—reinforcing its dedication to nurturing cinematic brilliance and championing the next generation of storytellers.

Projects in Development Jury

  • Producers Elisa Fernanda Pirir (STÆR) – “Calls From Moscow;” “The Hypnosis;” “Everybody Loves Touda” (2024); “The Nights Still Smell of Gunpowder” (2024)
  • Georges Schoucair (Abbout Productions) – “Félicité” (2017), “Wajib” (2017), “Rafiki” (2018), “Beauty & the Dogs” (2018), “It Must Be Heaven” (2019), “A Son” (2019)
  • Louise Bellicaud (In Vivo Films) – “Abou Leila” (2019), “Dos Estaciones” (2022), “Un Varon” (2022), “Levante” (2023), “Horizonte” (2024)
  • Works in Progress Jury

  • Filmmaker/ Cinematographer Martika Ramirez Escobar from the Philippines. Escobar’s first feature film “Leonor Will Never Die” had its world premiere at Sundance and won the Special Jury Award for Innovative Spirit.
  • Christophe Leparc, Managing Director of Quinzaine des Cinéastes and Head of Cinemed, Mediterranean Film Festival
  • Fyzal Boulifa, Director/ Screenwriter, UK/Morocco.”Lynn + Lucy” (2020); “The Damned Don’t Cry” (2023). He has recently co-written Mahdi Fleifel’s “To a Land Unknown” (2024).
  • Serieslab Jury

  • Diego Ramírez Schrempp – Executive producer on FALCO, winner of an International Emmy award in 2019. Co-creator and showrunner on “Green Frontier” one of Colombia’s first original series for Netflix. Production supervisor on “Narcos” and co-creator and showrunner on “La Cabeza De Joaquín Murrieta” Executive producer on “One Hundred Years of Solitude” for Netflix.
  • Jennifer Chen – head of Channel Zero Studios. Previously, Jennifer served as VP of Programming for Channel Zero’s suite of Canadian broadcasting networks. Her production credits include “The Puzzle Lady,” “Boot Camp,” “Wynonna Earp (Season 1),” and “The Pinkertons.”
  • Nadia Tabbara – Screenwriter and creativity coach who has produced more than four regional TV series and her show “Awake” is the only Lebanese TV series that has ever been broadcast across all continents, most recently picked up by ARTE. She wrote and directed a fictionalized short film in the Internationally Emmy nominated series “Beirut: 607”
  • 24 projects in development by filmmakers from Africa, Arab World or Asia were presented to an industry audience during the Souk including the 12 projects selected for this year’s Red Sea Lodge program, which have been developed through intensive workshops in partnership with the Torino Film Lab.

    Shivani Pandya Malhotra, Managing Director of the Red Sea Film Foundation, said: “This year’s Red Sea Souk winners reflect the incredible talent and creativity emerging from Saudi Arabia, Arab world, Africa, and Asia. These regions hold immense storytelling power, and through initiatives like the Souk, we’re proud to support these voices, offering them a platform to flourish. Congratulations to all the winners—your success is a testament to the vibrant future of cinema in these underserved regions.”

    Director of the Red Sea Souk Holly Daniel, said: “This edition of the Souk Project market had a record number of meeting requests for the projects in selection which reflects the high calibre and potential of the teams taking part. We thank all our award partners for their support of the Souk and the amazing projects that they continue to champion.”

    List of winners:

    Arab Cinema Center (ACC)

    2 supported places on the International Film Festival Rotterdam Producers Lab
    Awarded by ACC
    Saudi Winner: “Do Re Mimi”
    Producer: Jawaher Alamri

    Arab Winner: “It’s Okay, I’m Only Human”
    Producer: Christelle Younes

    Filmmore

    One in-kind award for a Works-in-Progress film consisting of a full digital intermediate worth $32,500
    Awarded by Filmmore
    Winner: “Fuxi”
    Director: Qiu JiongJiong

    Freshly Ground Stories

    Two In-Kind Awards of Professional Business and Legal Support for a Project, up to 12 months in any Stage of the Production Cycle, each worth $5,000.
    Awarded by Freshly Ground Stories
    Winner: “Holy Cow”
    Director: Asmae El Moudir

    Winner: “Assa, A Fish in a Bowl”
    Director: Dahlia Nemlich

    Impronta Films

    One in-kind award for a documentary project of consultancy sessions over 12-months, worth $10,000.
    Awarded by Impronta Films
    Winner: “Farouk”
    Director: Halkawt Mustafa

    Oticons

    One in-kind Award for a Work-in-Progress film consisting of in-kind Music Consulting services worth $10,000
    Awarded by Oticons
    Winner: “Fuxi”
    Director: Qiu JiongJiong

    Shift Studios

    Shift Studios awards for a promotion package worth $12,000
    2 Awards
    Awarded by Shift Studios
    Winner: “I Didn’t Sign Up for This”
    Director: Lana Komsany.

    Winner: “Do-Re-Mimi”
    Director: Fatima Albanawi

    Shift Studios award consisting of a full DCP package worth $8,000
    Winner: “Blue Card”
    Director: Mohamed Al’Omda

    TitraFilm

    In-kind award for a Work-in-Progress film worth $10,000
    Awarded by TitraFilm
    Winner: “Allah Is Not Obliged”
    Directed by Zaven Najjar

    Arab Radio and Television Network (ART)

    $50,000 ART grant for one Saudi Project in development or production
    Awarded by ART
    Winner: “I Didn’t Sign Up For This”
    Director: Lana Komsany

    $50,000 ART Award for one Arab Project in development or production
    Awarded by ART
    Winner: “Holy Cow”
    Director: Asmae El Moudir

    MAD Solutions

    $50,000 to a project in development, in production or in post production.
    Awarded by MAD
    Winner: “Do Re Mimi”
    Director: Fatima Albanawi

    MBC Academy/Shahid

    $40,000 MBC Academy /Shahid Award for a Saudi project in development
    Awarded by MBC
    Winner: “Hadd”
    Director: Jamal Kutbi

    Two $20,000 MBC Academy /Shahid Awards for a project in development or production or post-production
    Awarded by MBC
    Winner: “Close rose close”
    Director: Rulan Hasan

    Winner: “Blue Card”
    Director: Mohamed Al’Omda

    Ambient Light

    As Ambient Light – one cash award of $10,000 for a Project in Development
    Winner: “It’s okay, I’m only Human”
    Directed by Karim Ghorayeb and George Barbari

    As A2J – one in-kind award with a value of $10,000 for post-production services to a Works-in-Progress project
    Awarded by Ambient Light
    Winner: “A winner is seen at the start”
    Directed by Zhannat AlShanova.

    Rotana Studios

    One cash and three in-kind awards consisting of:
    $50,000 cash award for an Arab film
    Awarded by Rotana Studios
    Winner: “Close Rose Close”
    Director: Rulan Hasan

    Two in-kind awards valued at $50,000 each in the form of distribution fees waiver for two Arab projects to be distributed by Rotana Studios
    Awarded by Rotana Studios
    Winner: “Blue Card”
    Director: Mohamed Al’Omda

    Winner: “Close Rose Close”
    Director: Rulan Hasan

    One in-kind award valued at $25,000 in the form of free inclusion in content development lab Rotana-Sard for 6 months for a Saudi project
    Awarded by Rotana Studios
    Winner: “Do Re Mimi”
    Director: Fatima Albanawi

    Best Media Production

    Best Media Production Award for one project in development or production with an amount of $10,000
    Awarded by Best Media Production
    Winner: “It’s Okay, I’m Only Human”
    Directors: Karim Ghorayeb, George Peter Barbari

    CNC

    CNC Award for one project with an amount of €8,000 ($8,500 equivalent)
    Awarded by the Red Sea Souk Projects in Development Jury
    Winner: “Holy Cow”
    Director: Asmae El Moudir

    Ithra

    50,000 SAR ($13,333) Ithra award for one Saudi project in production or post-production
    Awarded by Ithra
    Winner: “Hadd”
    Director: Jamal Kutbi

    Red Sea Souk Works in Progress Awards:

    Red Sea Souk Post-Production Jury Special Mention Award with a grant of $15,000
    Awarded by Red Sea Souk WIP Jury
    Winner: “Fuxi”
    Director: Qiu JiongJiong

    Red Sea Souk Post-Production Award with a grant of $40,000
    Awarded by Red Sea Souk WIP Jury
    Winner: “Guria”
    Director: Levan Koguashvili

    Red Sea Labs Awards:

    Two $5,000 Red Sea Labs SeriesLab Awards
    Awarded by Red Sea Souk SeriesLab Jury
    First winner: “Cold Case One” ($5,000) written by Nithin Lukose and Hari Kirishnan
    Second winner: “Generation A” ($5,000) written by Mona Ombogo

    One $10,000 Red Sea Labs SeriesLab Award
    Awarded by Red Sea Souk SeriesLab Jury
    Winner: “Saria Othman Needs No Man” ($10,000) written by Estephan Khattar

    $20,000 Red Sea Labs Jury Special Mention Award for a Red Sea Lodge project
    Awarded by Red Sea Souk Projects in Development Jury
    Winner: “Close Rose Close”
    Director: Rulan Hasan

    $40,000 Red Sea Labs Production Award for a Red Sea Lodge project
    Awarded by Red Sea Souk Projects in Development Jury
    Winner: “The Silent Ones”
    Director: Jawahine Zentar

    $50,000 Red Sea Labs Production Award for a Red Sea Lodge project
    Awarded by Red Sea Souk Projects in Development Jury
    Winner: “Pepo Kali”
    Director: Lydia Matata

    $70,000 Red Sea Labs Production Award for a Red Sea Lodge project
    Awarded by Red Sea Souk Projects in Development Jury
    Winner: “Blue Card”
    Director: Mahamed Al’Omda

    Red Sea Souk Projects in Development Awards:

    $20,000 Red Sea Souk Jury Special Mention Award
    Awarded by Red Sea Souk Projects in Development Jury
    Winner: “Tahmina”
    Director: Aboozar Amini

    $30,000 Red Sea Souk Development Award
    Awarded by Red Sea Souk Projects in Development Jury
    Winner: “Watch It Burn”
    Director: Makbul Mubarak

    $75,000 Red Sea Souk Production Award
    Awarded by Red Sea Souk Projects in Development Jury
    Winner: “Robbing Beirut”
    Director: Katia Jarjoura

    About Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF)
    The Red Sea International Film Festival is a celebration of film, bringing the best of world cinema to Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As the largest celebration of cinema and culture in the MENA region, the RSIFF features exciting new films alongside retrospective programmes celebrating cinema masters, the latest Saudi films, feature and short film competitions, industry events and ‘In Conversation’ masterclasses.

    The 2024 RSIFF (5-14 December) features a carefully curated selection, including 2024 Academy Award submissions from the region, critically acclaimed award-winning filmmakers and films, classic cinema and a spotlight on films from underrepresented voices, underscoring the RSIFF’s commitment to cinematic excellence and bridging cultures.