JEDDAH: The Red Sea Film Foundation has named “Raseef 17” and “Anis Al-Rouh” as winners of the sixth 48-Hour Film Challenge, with “On My Behalf” receiving a special jury mention. The results were announced during an official screening and awards ceremony on Sept. 17 after the jury evaluated 13 completed short films. The judging panel comprised French director and screenwriter Houda Benyamina, Saudi actor and producer Sohayb Godus, and Saudi actor Khairia Abu Laban. The foundation selected 13 teams from 127 applications submitted by emerging filmmakers from across Saudi Arabia. Abu Laban told Arab News that it was hard to choose the two winning films, and added: “They were really good films — the 13 short films. I saw enormous potential in the direction, dialogue, writing, framing, cinematography and use of color. The musical choices were also spectacular and distinctive. I could see a fresh vision in these films. “I am especially pleased that these filmmakers dared to step outside their comfort zones. Many of them were directing for the first time, and what they accomplished was impressive.” Shima Sorour, the director of the winning short film titled “Anis Al-Rouh,” said the film was inspired by her nephew Hammoudi, who portrayed himself in the true story. She said: “Hammoudi was my inspiration and had a profound effect on me. He is the hero of my life and the hero of the film. The greatest challenge was preparing him for the experience and helping him understand what we were doing.” She began developing the concept as soon as she learned that she had been selected for the competition, working on the script, planning shots and researching visual references ahead of the 48-hour production period. The 27-year-old filmmaker graduated from King Abdulaziz University in 2023. She previously won best documentary at the university’s inaugural film festival. Her filmmaking journey was later interrupted when her mother became ill. She said: “I decided to leave everything behind because no job or other commitment could have been more important than spending that time with my mother. I did not work or make anything for three years, so this film marks my return to the field.” She added that the story was drawn directly from her family’s experience. Hammoudi was her late mother’s first grandchild, and the two shared a close bond. “Everything he says in the film is something he said in real life,” she said. Organized in partnership with Alliance Francaise and the French Consulate General in Jeddah, the challenge provides participants with an intensive, hands-on filmmaking experience covering concept development, screenwriting, filming, editing and final delivery. The two winning teams receive the 48-Hour Film Challenge trophies, while the leader of each team will take part in an international residency program in France in 2027. Mohammed Nehad, the consul general of the French Republic in Jeddah, told Arab News that this year’s edition demonstrated significant progress, with the challenge continuing to establish itself in Jeddah while attracting wider interest. Nehad said: “More people applied for the 48-Hour Film Challenge this year, and the work we saw was remarkable. “Over the years we have witnessed a clear evolution in how participants think, view life and express what matters to them through film. Their work now also reflects a growing level of professionalism.” The films will be screened during the next edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival. One of the creative requirements of this year’s challenge was to incorporate an umbrella naturally into each short film’s storyline. Spotting how the teams used the object in different contexts added a playful element for the audiences as they watched the 13 shortlisted films during the official screening and awards ceremony. Faisal Baltyuor, CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation, told Arab News: “I am so proud to see this growing maturity from one year to the next. Some of these young, emerging filmmakers began their journey through this challenge. “The challenge was designed as an incubator. We bring in instructors to train the participants before they begin, so they already have some knowledge when they start. They then gain practical experience, which is what truly matters in cinema. “This was reflected in the final results: the depth of the characters, the strong direction and acting, the set design and even the post-production — all achieved in only two days, or 48 hours. “Thirteen films were selected from more than 120 applications, and even the jury members had difficulty choosing the winners. For me, all 13 films are winners because they delivered compelling stories, directed their actors well and demonstrated a solid foundation in screenwriting. “They still have much to develop in the future, but this is a tremendous start for these young filmmakers.” Raphael Justine, the counsellor for cooperation and cultural action at the French Embassy in Riyadh, told Arab News: “I am sure that there is a lot of talent here. The youth in Saudi Arabia are amazing and they have so much to offer, not only to the Kingdom but to the rest of the world. “I think we all witnessed tonight the work of very young talents with promising futures. Encouraging them and giving them opportunities to travel to France or elsewhere is valuable for them, but it is also a great opportunity for the rest of the world to understand what is happening here. There is a lovely energy.”