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The third edition of the Red Sea Film Festival, wrapping Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, felt like a direct response to a burning question from executives and investors present at the festival’s market arm last year: Could Saudi Arabia step out from drama and comedy and head into genre filmmaking? The answer offered by the festival, it turns out, was a resounding yes.

“Arabs are closer to fantasy than the Western world,” director Yasir Al-Yasiri told Variety of this year’s Red Sea Film Festival opening film, “Hwjn.” The film, a sprawling fantasy about the Arab Jinn culture set and shot in Jeddah, comes at the “right time,” according to the director. “We have the means to do so, and so many talented people have gathered great experience from working abroad with big companies and now they are working in our region.”

“Saudi changed so much that suddenly we had room to explore,...

Oscar winner Nicholas Cage received a Red Sea Honouree award

Zarrar Kahn’s Karachi-set thriller In Flames won the $100,000 Golden Yusr award for best feature film at the 2023 Red Sea International Film Festival, which announced its winners on Thursday evening (December 7).

A Canada-Pakistan co-production and Pakistan’s entry to the Oscars, In Flames is the story of a mother and daughter trying to survive after losing the family patriarch. It world premiered in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight.

Indian production Dear Jassi, directed by Tarsem Singh, won the $30,000 Silver Yusr. Based on the true story of an Indian couple who fell foul of the class system,...

The Red Sea International Film Festival Closing Night Gala was attended by Halle Berry, Nicolas Cage, Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Andrew Garfield, Henry Golding, Gwyneth Paltrow, Joel Kinnaman Jason Statham on December 07, 2023 in Jeddah.

The Festival Awards night will close with the Mena Premiere of Ferrari, the new biopic from Michael Mann and starring Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz. Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki’s most recent film The Boy and the Heron, will screen as the Public Closing Film.

In celebration of female voices in film, the Red Sea International Film Festival (RedSeaIFF) and Vanity Fair Europe hosted the 5th Women In Cinema Dinner event this evening, shining a light on the achievements of women both on and behind the camera who are helping shape the film industry and inspire a new generation of talent in Saudi Arabia, Africa, and India.

The event was held at the Shangri-La in Jeddah,...

We’ve had genies of the playful, wish-granting “Thief of Baghdad” type, and more recently quite a number of evil djinn in horror movies. But it’s hard to recall a prior screen portrait of the same malleable Arabic mythological creatures quite like “Hwjn,” which takes the cuddlesome, anthropomorphic “They’re just like us, only magical!” view of Pixar animations and such in depicting modern-day jinn (the term’s more accurate translation) who invisibly live alongside humans.

Yasir Alyasiri’s visually appealing fantasy, which kicked off the Red Sea Film Fest, is at times too innocuous in tone and pedestrian in story ideas. But it’s nonetheless a slick, pleasant diversion that should attract viewers eager for an approximation of CGI-heavy western family entertainments, albeit with up-front Arabic cultural and Muslim religious emphases. The Saudi Arabia-United Arab Emirates coproduction opens commercially in S.A. on Jan. 4.

Drawn from sci-fi author...

For the first time in its history, the Red Sea Film Festival opened with an Arab film, the world premiere of Yasir Al-Yasiri’s fantasy epic “Hwjn.”

Speaking with Variety the morning after the film’s glitzy world premiere at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Jeddah, Yasiri described the premiere as a “surreal” experience. “When I went up on stage, it felt like the entire five-year journey was condensed into one moment. The film was written in Jeddah, shot in Jeddah and now opened in Jeddah. I still can’t believe it. It’s a fairytale.”

When asked if he could have imagined his film opening a Saudi film festival when he first began working on the project back in 2018 — the same year the Kingdom lifted a 35-year ban on cinema — Yasiri said he perceived the film as an “opportunity” at the time, despite being uncertain of its future release in the country.

Will Smith, Johnny Depp, Sharon Stone among international guests in attendance.

The third edition of Red Sea International Film Festival opened on Thursday, November 30 with a ceremony that added local interests and humour to the standard festival event template.

Stars including Will Smith, Johnny Depp, Sharon Stone, Michelle Williams, Sofia Vergara, Diane Kruger and Ranveer Singh were in attendance at the 1,000-seat Grand Ballroom in the Ritz-Carlton Jeddah, for a one-hour ceremony prior to the world premiere of Yasir Alyasiri’s Saudi fantasy romance Hwjn. Screen’s review described the film as ”an entertaining, swashbuckling fantasy epic.”

Smith took his...

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival launched its third edition on Thursday evening with a characteristically starry red carpet featuring the likes of Michelle Williams, Johnny Depp, Sharon Stone and Will Smith.

The kick-off had more of a local feel than the first two editions, however, with an Arabic-language film, the fantasy adventure Hwjn, opening the festival for the first time.

Set against the backdrop of the festival’s home city of Jeddah, the drama stars rising Saudi actor Baraa Alem, as an endearing young djinn who falls for a young woman, played by emerging actress Nour Alkhadra.

Its selection as the opening title is seen as a sign of the growing strength of the film and TV business in Saudi Arabia, just six years after the lifting of the country’s 35-year cinema ban as part of its 2030 strategy aimed at moving the economy away from oil.

Directed...

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival kicked off its third edition on Thursday with the world premiere of Dubai-based Iraqi director Yasir Al-Yasiri’s fantasy “Hwjn” and a glitzy red carpet featuring Will Smith, Sharon Stone, Baz Luhrmann, Ranveer Singh and a slew of Arabic stars.

Johnny Depp also posed on the red carpet and attended the opening gala, but kept a lower profile.

Depp is at the festival with Maïwenn’s Cannes-opener “Jeanne du Barry,” which was funded by the Red Sea Film Foundation. Maïwenn also made the trek to Jeddah. Depp’s relationship with the foundation now continues with his directorial effort “Modi,” a biopic about Italian painter and sculptor Amedeo Modigliani also backed by the fund. The actor is scheduled to deliver an onstage conversation in the coming days.

The Israel-Hamas war that has caused cancellations of several movie celebrations across the Arab world has...

Will Smith and Johnny Depp brought some A-list firepower to the opening night of the third edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia.

Smith was mobbed by selfie hunters as he entered the vast and glitzy Ritz Carlton hotel in the city of Jeddah on Thursday night, dutifully posing for as many as he could (Depp chose to arrive later to less fanfare).

Baz Luhrmann, who heads the festival jury, also caused a stir on the red carpet, while other notable guests included Sharon Stone, making her second appearance at the fest after attending in 2022; Diane Kruger; Sofia Vergara; Bollywood star Ranveer Singh; Ed Westwick; and many local Saudi names.

Iraqi director Yasir Al Yasiri’s Hwjn, a jinn fantasy romance set in modern-day Jeddah, opened the festival, becoming the first local Saudi Arabian movie to be given the honor of raising the curtain.

Hwjn is...

Stuart Ford’s AGC International has picked up world rights to two Arab-produced titles, Hwjn by Yasir Al-Yasiri and To My Son by Dhafer L’abidine, ahead of their debuts at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival.

AGC nabbed Hwjn, which opens Red Sea this evening, from Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Mbc Studios, and Vox Studios. To My Son was acquired from O3 Medya and L’Abidine’s Double A Productions.

Adapted from the best-selling Young Adult fantasy novel by Ibraheem Abbas, Hwjn combines Arabian folklore elements of fantasy, blended with modern themes. Set in modern-day Jeddah, Hwjn follows the story of a kind-hearted jinn as he discovers the truth about his royal lineage. Synopsis reads: Hwjn (Baraa Alem) sets off on an epic journey to reclaim his birthright, and while battling ancient evils to maintain the harmonious balance between his world and ours, falls in love with Sawsan (Nour Alkhadra), a young medical student.

AGC Intl., the international sales and distribution arm of Stuart Ford’s fast-growing independent content studio AGC Studios, has picked up world rights from Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Mbc Studios and Vox Studios on Yasir Al Yasiri’s “Hwjn,” and from O3 Medya and Dhafer L’Abidine’s Double A Productions on L’Abidine’s “To My Son.”

Saudi fantasy romance ‘Hwjn’ will open the Red Sea Film Festival on Nov. 30, while the emotional family drama “To My Son” will premiere in Red Sea’s Arab Spectacular section.

The deals mark another significant step in AGC Studios’ drive to bringing theatrical features from the Middle East and North Africa region to global audiences. AGC has partnered with Image Nation Abu Dhabi on Arabic blockbusters “Al Kameen” and “Voy! Voy! Voy!” (with Vox), Egypt’s box-office juggernaut and selection for Academy Award consideration for best international feature. AGC is also partnered...

Deal furthers AGC Studios’ commitment to championing Mena region theatrical features.

AGC International has acquired world sales rights to Hwjn and To My Son on the eve of their world premieres at Red Sea International Film Festival.

Iraqi filmmaker Yasir Al Yasiri’s Saudi fantasy romance Hwjn from Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Mbc Studios and Vox Studios will open the festival today (November 30) and is adapted from the YA novel by Ibraheem Abbas.

The feature combines Arabian folklore elements with contemporary themes and takes place in modern-day Jeddah as the kind-hearted titular jinn (Baraa Alem) discovers the truth about his...

Saudi-owned Mbc Group, the Middle East’s top broadcaster, has announced it is floating a 10% stake on the Riyadh stock exchange seeking to raise up to 831 million riyals ($222 million) in a move to boost growth and help fuel its output of high-end productions.

“Institutional and retail investors will be allowed the opportunity to acquire shares and participate in the long-term growth plans of the company and the Saudi media market,” Mbc Group said in a statement on Thursday.

Hsbc Saudi Arabia is the lead manager of the IPO that will run Nov. 30-Dec. 6 in tandem with Jp Morgan Saudi Arabia and Snb Capital, as financial advisors.

Mbc, which was launched in London in 1991, subsequently moved its headquarters to Dubai in 2002 at a time when for religion-related reasons Saudi Arabia had banned moviegoing, and entertainment in general was frowned upon by the country’s conservative leadership.

Then, in December 2017, Saudi lifted...

“Your Story, Your Festival,” is the theme for this year‘s Red Sea International Film Festival, with organizers promising “a unique and powerful platform for celebrating film, connecting cultures and expanding horizons while welcoming stories from all walks of life.”

The festival’s third edition will take place Nov. 30-Dec. 9 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Alongside an international line-up that includes Michael Mann’s Ferrari, Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, Ava Duvernay’s Origin and Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron, the Red Sea festival is a showcase for new Arab cinema.

Here’s The Hollywood Reporter‘s pick of six new titles from across the region that expand the image of Arab movies, ranging from a jinn fantasy romance and a coming-of-age drama to an adventure thriller featuring a vengeance-seeking camel.

Hwjn, opening film

A local Saudi Arabian movie will raise the curtain on the Red Sea Festival for the first time this year,...

This year’s selection of five rising talents will be unveiled on Friday, December 1

The seventh edition of Screen International’s talent-spotting initiative Arab Stars of Tomorrow will once again launch at this year’s Red Sea International Film Festival (November 30-December 9).

This year’s selection of five rising talents will be unveiled on Friday, December 1 in Screen’s second Red Sea print daily and on Screendaily.com.

On Saturday, December 2 the stars will take part in a panel discussion at 2pm Ast at the festival hosted by Screen, following a breakfast reception

Arab Stars of Tomorrow celebrates Arab talent...

Baz Luhrmann will preside over the jury for the third edition of the festival

The Red Sea International Film Festival has revealed a starry line-up of juries and honorary awardees ahead of the launch of its third edition in Jeddah on Thursday.

The jury for the main feature film competition will comprise Suicide Squad star Joel Kinnaman, Bafta-nominated actor Freida Pinto, Egyptian Grand Hotel star Amina Khalil, and Spanish actor Paz Vega, known for Sex And Lucía and The Oa. As previously announced, Elvis director Baz Luhrmann will preside over the jury.

The festival in Saudi Arabia, which is set...

Diane Kruger, Bollywood star Ranveer Singh and Saudi actor-writer Abdullah Al-Sadhan are set to receive career honors at Saudi Arabia’s upcoming Red Sea International Film Festival, which has also announced its full jury roster.

Joining Baz Luhrmann, who is presiding over the main Red Sea jury, are Swedish-American actor Joel Kinnaman (“Suicide Squad”); Freida Pinto (“Slumdog Millionaire”); Egyptian actor Amina Khalil; (“Grand Hotel”) and Spain’s Paz Vega.

Meanwhile, Turkish-German director Fatih Akin, who directed Kruger in “In The Fade,” will be on the fest’s shorts competition jury alongside Saudi writer and film critic Hana Alomair, who is behind the Netflix Saudi Arabian original “Whispers,” and French-Moroccan actor Assad Bouab (“Call My Agent”).

Dubai-based Iraqi director Yasir Al-Yasiri’s “Hwjn” has been chosen as the opening film of Saudi Arabia’s upcoming Red Sea International Film Festival.

The fest’s third edition is set to kick off Nov.

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival will open its third edition, running from November 30 to December 9, with local movie Hwjn, a fantasy romance combining Arabian folklore with modern themes that unfolds against the backdrop of the event’s home of Jeddah.

Deadline exclusively revealed a trailer for the production earlier this year. Watch it here.

The choice of a Saudi movie marks a break with Red Sea’s first two editions – which kicked off with English-language features Cyrano and What’s Love Got To Do With It? in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

Hwjn is the most ambitious production to date to come out of a partnership between major Gulf players Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Vox Studios and Mbc Studios first announced in Cannes in 2019.

“Opening the festival with a highly anticipated film like Hwjn is a momentous event,” Rsiff Arab Programs & Film Classics Director Antoine Khalife said of the opening night honor,...

Story of a kind-hearted jinn is a co-production from Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Mbc Studios and Vox Studios.

Red Sea International Film Festival has set the world premiere of Saudi feature Hwjn, directed by Yasir Al Yasiri, as its opening-night gala on November 30.

Adapted from the young adult fantasy novel by Ibraheem Abbas, Hwjn combines elements of Arabian folklore with modern themes.

A co-production from leading regional players Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Mbc Studios and Vox Studios, Hwjn is set in modern-day Jeddah and follows the story of a kind-hearted jinn. As he discovers the truth about his royal lineage,...

Dubai-based Iraqi director Yasir Al-Yasiri’s “Hwjn” has been chosen as the opening film of Saudi Arabia’s upcoming Red Sea International Film Festival.

The fest’s third edition is set to run Nov. 30-Dec. 9 in Jeddah, on the Red Sea’s eastern shore, which is also the city where “Hwjn” is set. The fantasy is based on the YA novel by Saudi writer Ibraheem Abbas which was a local literary phenomenon due to its pioneering combination of Western sci-fi tropes and Arabic culture and folklore.

Set in modern-day Jeddah, “Hwjn” follows the story of a kind-hearted jinn – as invisible creatures in pre-Islamic Arabia and later in Islamic culture and beliefs are known – as he discovers the truth about his royal lineage. The protagonist, named Baraa Alem, goes on an epic journey to reclaim his birthright and maintain his mental balance between the human and supernatural worlds.

“Hwjn” is one...

The Red Sea International Film Festival will open with a local Saudi Arabian film for the first time, with Yasir Al Yasiri’s fantasy romance Hwjn set to raise the curtain on the third edition of the Jeddah event on Nov. 30.

Adapted from the best-selling young adult fantasy novel by Ibraheem Abbas, Hwjn blends Arabian folklore and modern themes for a story set in modern-day Jeddah and follows a kind-hearted jinn (Baraa Alem) on an epic journey to reclaim his birthright. Along the way, he meets and develops an unexpected romantic connection with Sawsan (Nour Alkhadra), a young medical student. Hwjn, which had already been announced as screening at the festival in the Arab Spectacular section, is one of the biggest projects to date under a 2018 production partnership between regional giants Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Mbc Studios and Vox Studios.

“The story of Hwjn is an epic tale of romance,...

The Red Sea International Film Festival (Red Sea Iff) has announced details of this year's selection of films from Saudi Arabia, alongside the Arab Spectacular and Red Sea: Competition features strands. Collectively, these strands will showcase the rich and varied work by established and new filmmakers from the region, including documentaries and titles produced by the Red Sea Film Foundation.

The third edition of the Rsiff – running from 30 November to 9 December – providesa unique and powerful platform for celebrating film, connecting cultures, and expanding horizons while welcoming stories from all walks of life. It is a comprehensive cinematic platform that promotes diversity in all facets of filmmaking, elevating it beyond just a film screening event. These ideas of diversity, connection, and cultural exchange are manifested in this year's theme; “Your Story, Your Festival”.

While celebrating cinema on a global scale, Red Sea Iff throws a spotlight on films made in the...

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival has announced the bulk of its lineup from the Middle East and North Africa (Mena), signaling that the event is forging ahead with its third edition despite the Israel-Hamas war that has caused cancellations of several movie celebrations across the Arab world.

The fest’s third edition, set to run Nov. 30-Dec. 9 in Jeddah, on the Red Sea’s eastern shore, will feature a slew of films from the Mena region and comprise 11 feature films from Saudi, underlining the local film industry’s growth. This year’s theme is “Your Story, Your Festival”.

There are two Saudi films in the 17-title competition dedicated to features from the Arab world as well as Africa and Asia. They are “Norah,” a drama by first-time helmer Tawfik Alzaidi set in 1990s Saudi Arabia, when conservatism was at its height, and Ali Alkalthami’s bold comedy “Mandoob...

The Red Sea International Film Festival has unveiled its selection of 36 movies from Saudi Arabia, as well as its Arab Spectacular and Red Sea: Competition lineups for this year’s third edition.

“Collectively, these strands will showcase the rich and varied work by established and new filmmakers from the region, including documentaries and titles produced by the Red Sea Film Foundation,” organizers said on Monday.

The program will put a spotlight on films made in the Middle East and North Africa region, featuring 36 feature-length and short films from Saudi Arabia. “The lineup includes internationally recognized talent plus new voices; from Maïwenn’s historical romance Jeanne du Barry, starring Johnny Depp which opened at Cannes with support from the Red Sea International Film Financing arm, to Kaouther Ben Hania with Four Daughters, nominated as Tunisia’s submission for international feature at the forthcoming Academy Awards,” the festival said. “Further directors selected...

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival has unveiled it 2023 line-up and theme as it maintains its third edition against the backdrop of the escalating Israel-Gaza Conflict. (scroll down for full list)

The edition, running from November 30 to December 9 in the port city of Jeddah, will unfold under the theme of “Your Story, Your Festival”.

Among the key sections announced on Monday was the Red Sea International Film Festival: In Competition section which will showcase 17 narrative and documentary features from Asia, Africa, and the Arab world.

Contenders include UK-Palestinian director Farah Nabulsi critically-acclaimed West Bank-set first feature The Teacher, Tunisian-Moroccan filmmaking couple Afef Ben Mahmoud and Khalil Benkirane’s Atlas Mountains-set, theatre troupe road movie Backstage, Tawfik Alzaidi’s Norah, which is billed as the first Saudi feature shot in the country’s growing location hub of AlUla, and Iranian director Parviz Shahbazi’s drama Roxana, for which its...

Maïwenn’s Jeanne du Barry, starring Johnny Depp, will have a special screening at the festival

The Red Sea International Film Festival (Red Sea Iff) has unveiled the line-up for its Competition and Arab Spectacular strands.

The festival will take place from November 30-December 9 in the port city of Jeddah under the theme ’Your Stories, Your Festival.’

Red Sea Iff’s line-up throws a spotlight on films made in the Mena region and includes 36 feature length and short films from Saudi Arabia, including documentaries and titles produced by the Red Sea Film Foundation.

The Competition strand includes 17 films from Asia,...

Maïwenn’s Jeanne du Barry, starring Johnny Depp, will have a special screening at the festival

The Red Sea International Film Festival (Red Sea Iff) has unveiled the line-up for its Competition and Arab Spectacular strands.

The festival, which takes place from November 30-December 9, will also give special screenings to Maïwenn’s historical romance Jeanne du Barry, starring Johnny Depp, which was supported by Red Sea’s financing arm and opened Cannes, and to Dhafer L’abidine’s Saudi-uae co-production To My Son, which world premieres at the festival.

Red Sea Iff’s line-up throws a spotlight on films made in...

Starzplay has announced its first Arabic-language original series, created in collaboration with Emirati content powerhouse Image Nation Abu Dhabi.

The international streaming service of Starz has a big following in the Middle East and North Africa where its regional offering Starzplay Arabia is available in 19 territories.

The new show, called Kaboos, features five standalone episodes and is billed as a modern-day retelling of Arab folklore. It explores urban legends in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt and the UAE, across a variety of genres from classic horror stories to noir psychological thrillers.

Some of Mena’s hottest rising young directors are attached to the show, including the UAE’s Majid Al Ansari and Hana Kazim (Makr) as well as Iraq-born, Abu Dhabi-based Yasir Al Yasiri (122), Egypt’s Ahmed Khaled (30 March) and Bahraini, U.S.-based director and producer Hala Matar (Streetcar).

The horror anthology series is produced by Al Yasiri...

Bein Motor Sports Revving Up In Asia

beIN Sports has picked up exclusive rights to the Formula 1 World Championships in ten territories across Asia. The new media rights agreement begins this year and runs until the conclusion of the 2025 championship.

The ten Asian territories included in the agreement are Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Philippines, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. In many territories in Asia, Formula One previously played on the Disney-owned Fox Sports channels.

The new deal includes rights to all Grand Prix races, the new sprint races, qualifying and practice sessions.

Coverage begins with the season opener, in Bahrain from 3-5 March, and runs through to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from 24-26 November.

The coverage will be available on major pay-tv platforms in the region, including on beIN’s live streaming app, beIN Sports Connect.

Storm Warning

Jonas Baur will take the role as executive producer...

Vox Cinemas, the dedicated cinema arm of Majid Al Futtaim, has unveiled its debut slate of original Arabic films at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, which it proudly sponsors. The diverse line-up, featuring titles from new and established filmmakers in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE and Lebanon, reaffirms Vox Cinemas’ commitment to become a major player in Arabic film production

Ignace Lahoud, Chief Executive Officer, Majid Al Futtaim Leisure, Entertainment & Cinemas said, “It is an exciting time for Arabic film, which has been gaining plaudits and audiences in the region and beyond, and tends to outperform foreign films. Distinctly local productions, particularly in a nascent market like Saudi Arabia, offer an untapped and real opportunity. As the leading cinema company in the region, we are committed to growing a sustainable film industry and believe that establishing a dynamic content ecosystem is integral to achieving this goal.”

He added,...

Slate includes sequel to hit Saudi comedy ‘Masameer’.

Leading Middle East exhibitor and distributor Vox Cinemas has unveiled its debut slate of original Arabic films, including a sequel to Saudi hit comedy Masameer.

Details of its debut slate come after Vox, the largest exhibitor in the Mena region, committed at last year’s Red Sea film festival to produce 25 Arabic films in five years. Vox said the line-up reaffirmed its plan to become a major player in Arabic film production.

Vox is joining forces with Sirb Productions, the sister company of Myrkott Animation Studio which was behind YouTube hit-turned-theatrical feature Masameer.

Dubai-based Middle Eastern exhibition giant Vox Cinemas has unveiled its first slate of original Arabic films, which it is producing under a commitment first announced in 2021 to make 25 films out of the region in five years.

The company, which operates 600 cinema theatres across the Middle East, announced the new projects on the second day of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival which it is sponsoring this year.

They include Iraqi Dubai-based director Yasir Al Yasiri’s Hwjn. Based on a best-selling Saudi YA novel, it revolves around a mythical jinn whose world is turned upside-down when a human family moves into their home.

The production marks the third collaboration between Vox Cinemas, Image Nation Abu Dhabi and Mbc Studios, under an alliance first announced at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019 to launch a major production partnership for film and TV projects across the Middle East.

Previous collaborations under...

Top Middle East exhibitor Vox Cinemas, which is also active in distribution and production, is ramping up its investment in producing Arabic feature films and unveiling its first full-fledged slate of local original movies at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival.

Vox’s Arabic line-up caters to local market demands by providing commercially viable works in a range of different genres, directed both by Arab newcomers and known names and starring top talents such as Egyptian star Nelly Karim (pictured) who is on the Red Sea fest’s main jury.

Karim is co-starring with popular actors Mohamed Farrag and Bayoumi Fouad (“A Stand Worthy of Men”) in the ensemble dramedy “Voy! Voy! Voy!” that is being launched and teased at the fest today with a press conference and sneak peak footage.

“Voy! Voy! Voy!” marks the directorial debut of hotshot Egyptian commercials director Omar Hilal. Vox is producing the...

In this week’s International TV Newswire Variety catches you up on Canal Plus Group’s appointment of Anna Marsh as CEO of Studiocanal, Dazn’s champion’s league coup in Germany, HBO’s new Polish original “The Thaw,” new London factual production company Big Little Fish and Starzplay’s Middle Eastern partnership with Image Nation Abu Dhabi.

Anna Marsh Named Studiocanal CEO

The glass ceiling has suddenly risen a notch in Europe. This week, France’s Canal Plus Group announced that Anna Marsh will take over from Didier Lupfer as the CEO of Studiocanal, which Cpg owns 100%..

That’s no ordinary job. A production-distribution-sales combo, Studiocanal runs theatrical direct distribution operations for its films in the U.K., France, Germany and Australia/New Zealand, making it is Europe’s biggest non-studio theatrical distributor. Under Marsh, its film international sales team for other territories has become one of only four...

Exclusive: StarzPlay, a leading Svod service in the Mena region, has inked a deal with Image Nation Abu Dhabi for the latter to produce the platform’s first original, Urban Legends.

The Arabic-language anthology series will explore regional tales and fables from the Middle East, with each episode focusing on a new story. Production will commence in 2020 with a view to releasing on the platform by the end of that year.

It will be produced by Yasir Al-Yasiri, the Iraqi director whose credits include 2018 comedy On Borrowed Time, under his production company Starship Entertainment, which he runs with Mansoor Al Feeli. Al-Yasiri is also attached to direct one of the episodes, with further regional directors to be announced.

The deal continues Image Nation’s push into episodic content, with the company having produced documentary series History Of The Emirates, which launched recently on local and international channels to coincide with...

The upcoming action-thriller 122, from rising Iraqi director Yasir Al-Yasiri, is set to become one of the first Arab films made for the immersive 4Dx format.

The movie stars Ahmed Dawood (Brooks, Meadows and Lovely Faces), Amina Khalil (Sheikh Jackson), Ahmad El-Fishawi (Sheikh Jackson) and Tarek Lotfy (Between Two Worlds), and was written by Salah El Gehiny, whose latest film El-Khaliyyah (The Cell) earned $5 million in the Arab world and topped the Egyptian box office.

"The film events take place on a bloody night in a place where we are supposed to feel safe," said Saif Oraibi, who produces the ...

The upcoming action-thriller 122, from rising Iraqi director Yasir Al-Yasiri, is set to become one of the first Arab films made for the immersive 4Dx format.

The movie stars Ahmed Dawood (Brooks, Meadows and Lovely Faces), Amina Khalil (Sheikh Jackson), Ahmad El-Fishawi (Sheikh Jackson) and Tarek Lotfy (Between Two Worlds), and was written by Salah El Gehiny, whose latest film El-Khaliyyah (The Cell) earned $5 million in the Arab world and topped the Egyptian box office.

"The film events take place on a bloody night in a place where we are supposed to feel safe," said Saif Oraibi, who produces the ...

For short films, the Tribeca Film Festival is a must. Winning the award for Narrative Short or Best Documentary Short automatically qualifies a film for the Academy Awards. Their track record isn’t too bad either. Shawn Christensen’s Curfew had its New York premiere at the Festival and went on to win the Academy Award.

This year, Tribeca will show 60 short films in eight categories, from a variety of new and returning directors (including Christensen with Grandma’s Not A Toaster), and featuring performances from a number of Hollywood stars. Elijah Wood plays a standup comic who attempts a daring set in Setup,...