The Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF) has appointed Edouard Waintrop as its artistic director ahead of the inaugural event in November 2021.
Commenting on his appointment, Waintrop said: “It is a great privilege and honor to be leading the Red Sea International Film Festival. This new and great festival will celebrate all aspects of cinema, from the creatives telling stories to the technical craftspeople putting imaginative ideas onto the big screen, celebrating filmmaking as a force for positive change. The festival is set to reflect that metamorphosis and to be the place for the leaders and visionaries of Arab cinema, both established and emerging, to meet, celebrate successes and look forward to a bright future.”
Waintrop was born in Paris in 1952. He is a well-known critic, programmer, cinema manager and festival curator.
He joins the RSIFF after two years as president of a commission helping and financing the development of feature films, as part of the Center national du cinema, Paris, and as the programmer of the international section at the Bordeaux International Independent Film Festival.
From 2012–2018, he was the artistic director of the Directors’ Fortnight, an independent program that runs parallel to the Cannes Film Festival, founded in 1969 by the French Directors’ Guild.
During his tenure, he was credited with revamping the event, elevating its profile, inviting acclaimed directors, championing emerging names and overseeing the 50th anniversary event.
The RSIFF brings the best in Arab and World cinema to the Kingdom. It showcases exciting new films on the Saudi big screen, alongside retrospective programs celebrating the masters of cinema, the latest Saudi films as well as feature and short film competitions.
Who’s Who: Edouard Waintrop, artistic director of Red Sea International Film Festival
https://arab.news/2d49u
Who’s Who: Edouard Waintrop, artistic director of Red Sea International Film Festival
KSrelief, UN highlight key goals in 2026 humanitarian plan
- Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah meets UN Yemen coordinator for aid reviews
- German lawmakers praise KSrelief for humanitarian projects globally
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief held a briefing session at its headquarters in Riyadh on the UN’s 2026 Global Humanitarian Overview, which is a diagnosis of the support needed by communities in crisis across the world.
The session was organized in cooperation with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
The session included senior officials from KSrelief and the UN, as well as representatives from Saudi government agencies and nonprofit organizations.
The participants discussed mechanisms for preparing the 2026 Global Humanitarian Overview and highlighted key differences from previous years.
The participants also addressed the need for funding in crisis-hit areas including Yemen, Sudan, Gaza, the Syrian Arab Republic, and Afghanistan.
These measures aim to strengthen focus on critical priorities, enhance the efficiency of humanitarian responses, support localization efforts, and promote work based on humanitarian principles.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, supervisor-general of KSrelief, met with UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen Julien Harneis in Riyadh.
During the meeting, they discussed relief and humanitarian affairs, as well as updates on projects in Yemen. Harneis praised the efforts provided by the Kingdom through KSrelief to support communities in Yemen.
Separately, Al-Rabeeah also held a meeting with Sheikh Mohammed Belal, managing director of the UN Common Fund for Commodities, to discuss relief issues.
Belal commended Saudi Arabia for assisting those affected around the world, highlighted the center’s strong international reputation.
Meanwhile, a delegation from Germany’s parliament, headed by Alexander Radwan, a member of the nation’s foreign affairs committee, visited KSrelief’s headquarters in Riyadh.
During the visit, the German lawmakers met with several KSrelief officials to discuss relief efforts.
The German officials praised KSrelief for planning and implementing relief projects worldwide, and highlighted the agency’s reputation globally in the field.
