JEDDAH: As the Red Sea International Film Festival launches its fifth edition on Dec. 4, the Red Sea Film Foundation says it is stepping into a new phase of long-term, industry-driving impact, with major investment flowing into Saudi filmmaking talent and upcoming national productions.

Accordingly, the foundation’s CEO, Faisal Baltyuor, told Arab News that the fifth edition marks “a significant shift for the foundation, moving it from a successful emerging event to a truly established, year-round industry incubator.”

He highlighted that the foundation’s mission is being strengthened through “talent nurturing, global integration and strategic industry support.”

Baltyuor discussed the expanding role of Red Sea Labs, adding that the foundation is “intensifying our focus on talent nurturing through the Red Sea Labs, which provide rigorous, intensive mentorship to ensure our emerging regional filmmakers are prepared to tell universal stories rooted in our local cultures and to compete globally.”

Alongside talent development, the festival continues its work in audience-building, a critical step, Baltyuor said, for establishing a sustainable film industry. “We are showcasing work of aspiring filmmakers with ‘Voices of Tomorrow’ and actively want to develop film appreciation: To build an industry, you have to build an audience.”

Among the major upcoming projects backed by the Red Sea Film Fund is “A Matter of Life & Death” starring Saudi actress Sarah Taibah, which Baltyuor describes as an example of the growing power of female-led cinema in the Kingdom. The film, he said, “represents the growing strength of Saudi women in cinema and the emergence of romance as a dynamic new genre in the Kingdom.”

He added that the fund is equally committed to nurturing emerging filmmakers through short-form and youth-led productions: “This year’s festival features 35 Saudi films, including 21 shorts in the ‘New Saudi Cinema’ section showcasing the diversity, experimentation and growing confidence of local filmmakers.”

To date, the fund has supported a significant volume of national productions: “The Red Sea Fund has supported over 67 Saudi film projects to date, helping many reach prestigious global A-list festivals such as Cannes, Venice, Toronto and Sundance.”

Baltyuor said these successes reflect the foundation’s broader goal: “Together, these projects underscore the fund’s mission to elevate Saudi filmmakers, advance their careers and bring their stories to audiences around the world.”

The Red Sea Souk remains central to the foundation’s global strategy. Baltyuor said that over the past four years the festival has become “the voice of the industry in the region, especially underrepresented film economies in Asia, Africa and the Arab world.”

This year’s Souk will gather all industry programs in one place, facilitating the expanding network of global–regional partnerships. According to Baltyuor: “This year we’re going to have more than 99 booths representing 166 companies and counting, and 13 countries taking umbrella stands out of 48 countries represented.”

He said that in 2024, “500 project market meetings took place, and that number will grow this year.”

The Project Market will also showcase major works in progress: “The Red Sea Project Market will present 40 projects in development from Arab, African and Asian directors … including eight feature works in progress and eight episodic projects being developed through the SeriesLab in partnership with Film Independent.”

Fourteen films have already been released through the Souk, and Baltyuor highlighted the impact of this pipeline: “Works in Progress have an average 27 percent completion rate. Films from the Project Market have gone on to be screened at global film festivals including at Berlin, Cannes, Toronto and Venice.”

Looking ahead, the foundation is increasing its investment in young talent. Baltyuor said that the Emerging Talents initiative will “showcase at least 10 films created by young people aged 10 to 16, and reflects our genuine commitment to supporting a new generation of creative talents.”

The foundation’s development initiatives also include the 48HR Film Challenge, which he described as a program “designed to prompt curiosity and innovation, and develop burgeoning film talent, in an imaginative race against the clock.”

Through programs such as the Feature Films Program and SeriesLab, the Red Sea Labs platform is establishing a long-term creative engine for the region. According to Baltyuor: “Red Sea Labs has supported the careers of over 200 emerging and established filmmakers … including more than 120 female filmmakers and 118 Saudi talents.”

Since 2021, the Red Sea Film Fund has backed a number of productions across the region. “The Red Sea Fund has supported over 310 films since 2021 … the stories are out there, the desire is strong and the skills base is growing,” Baltyuor said.

Ultimately, Baltyuor affirmed the foundation’s long-term mission: “We’re about growth … and it’s our role to help tell stories, take them to the world and bring more prestige to Arab cinema.”