DUBAI: Red Sea International Film Festival organizers revealed on Wednesday that actresses Halle Berry and Katrina Kaif had been lined up to speak at the event’s third edition.
Dates for the stars’ talks are yet to be announced.
The festival, running from Nov. 30 to Dec. 9, will also host discussion panels with Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, Australian costume designer Catherine Martin, Tunisian actor Dhafer L’Abidine, Indian director and TV personality Karan Johar, Egyptian actress Yasmine Sabri, Bollywood star Ranveer Singh, and Saudi filmmaking brothers Faris and Sohayb Godus.
American actress Berry kicked off her career as a model and took part in several beauty contests, finishing as the first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant and coming sixth in Miss World 1986.
The 57-year-old gained widespread recognition and acclaim for her performance in 2001’s “Monster’s Ball,” a role that earned her the Academy Award for best actress, making her the first African American woman to win in the category.
Her portrayal of Storm in the “X-Men” film series, and her iconic turn as Jinx Johnson in the 2002 James Bond film “Die Another Day,” are among her most well-known movie roles. She has received several accolades, including at the Primetime Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards.
British actress Kaif is one of the leading stars in the Indian film industry.
The 40-year-old has received widespread acclaim for her roles in various Bollywood flicks with one of her most popular performances coming in the action thriller “Ek Tha Tiger” in 2012, where she starred alongside Salman Khan. Her character Zoya, an intelligence agent, showcased both her acting prowess and on-screen charisma.
Another notable film in her career was “Jab Tak Hai Jaan,” directed by the legendary Yash Chopra.
The festival opens on Thursday with a screening of Iraqi director Yasir Al-Yasiri’s fantasy “HWJN.”
German actress Diane Kruger, Singh, and Saudi actor-writer Abdullah Al-Sadhan will receive career honors at the event.
Australian film director Baz Luhrmann will preside over the festival’s jury and will be joined by Swedish-American actor Joel Kinnaman (“The Suicide Squad”), Indian actress Freida Pinto (“Slumdog Millionaire”), Egyptian actress Amina Khalil (“Grand Hotel”), and Spaniard Paz Vega (“Sex and Lucia,” and “The OA”).
