JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival kicked off on Thursday night at the event’s new headquarters in Culture Square, Al-Balad, Jeddah.
The fourth edition of the film festival will feature the usual set of glittering names, many of whom hit the red carpet on Thursday night.
Hollywood stars Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Douglas, Emily Blunt and Cynthia Erivo joined Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh on the red carpet while there was also a strong showing from Bollywood with Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor posing for photographs at the opening ceremony.
Vin Diesel, Will Smith and Riyadh-based model Georgina Rodriguez also made surprise appearances.
Academy Award-winning filmmaker Spike Lee — known for films such as “Malcom X” and “BlacKkKlansman” — is presiding over the features competition jury this year, while Oscar-winning actress and producer Viola Davis and Egyptian star Mona Zaki are this year’s honorees at the festival, which will run until Dec. 14 under the theme “The New Home of Film.”
“I’m going to see some great films by young filmmakers… you’ve got to support the youth, they need to make their films and tell their stories,” Lee told Arab News on the red carpet as Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas hit the red carpet behind him.
“We call it the bride of the red sea, finally we are having guests in this historical place,” Saudi actor Khaled Yeslam said on the red carpet. “Being a Saudi citizen, I’m so glad to have all these global stars in our city,” he added.
Hollywood stars Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones on the red carpet. (AN Photo/Hashim Nadeem)
Meanwhile, “The Fall Guy” actress Emily Blunt was honored at the opening ceremony, with the honor being presented by Yeoh.
The British actress took to the stage in a glittering gown to say “we have so many stories to tell, we are brimming with them.”
“I am so deeply grateful to be here,” she added before Bollywood icon Amir Khan was also honored on stage.
Wicked star Cynthia Erivo joined the host of famous faces walking the red carpet in Jeddah. (AN Photo/Hashim Nadeem)
The opening ceremony featured a screening of Egyptian director Karim El Shenawy’s “The Tale of Daye’s Family” about an 11-year-old Nubian albino boy who faces adversity because of his appearance.
The festival will feature 120 films from 81 countries at the new venue — previous editions were held at the city’s Ritz-Carlton hotel — where five purpose-built cinemas and a large auditorium will host back-to-back screenings as well as In Conversation panels with celebrities.
Georgina Rodriguez, Riyadh-based model and partner of Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was also in attendance. (AN Photo/Hashim Nadeem)
Australian filmmaker Michael Gracey’s semi-biographical feature “Better Man,” inspired by British pop star Robbie Williams, will close the festival while Johnny Depp’s “Modi, Three Days on the Wing of Madness,” which was supported by the Red Sea Film Foundation, will be given a gala screening as part of the International Spectacular lineup.
Other star power-laden titles set for gala screenings include Peter Chelsom’s “A Sudden Case of Christmas” starring Danny Devito, Pablo Larrain’s biopic “Maria,” starring Angelina Jolie as opera singer Maria Callas; Mehdi Idir’s “Monsieur Aznavour,” starring Tahar Rahim as the French singer; Thierry Teston and Lisa Azeulos’s Jane Fonda-narrated documentary “My Way”; and “We Live in Time” with Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield.
