Red Sea Film Foundation Chief Jomana Al-Rashid on Fueling Saudi Arabia’s Cinematic Ambitions
Saudi Arabia has a robust presence this year at the Venice Film Festival, where there are six Arab films backed by the Red Sea Film Festival’s foundation on display across various sections, including an industry showcase.
These include Tunisian director Mehdi M. Barsaoui’s drama “A?cha,” about a woman who flees from her small-town life after miraculously surviving a bus accident, and Egypt’s “Seeking Haven for Mr. Rambo,” a first feature by Khaled Mansour about a young man forced to confront his fears. These films got their initial impetus thanks to Red Sea funding programs, which are becoming a major Arab film industry driver.
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Variety spoke to Jomana Al-Rashid, who chairs the Red Sea Film Festival International Film Foundation, about nurturing Saudi’s rapidly evolving film scene.
How would you describe the progression of everything film-related in Saudi Arabia since the ban on cinema was lifted in late 2017?
The trajectory of this progression has been truly phenomenal. We did not expect it to go at such a rapid pace. This year, “Noura” was the first Saudi film selected for the Cannes Film Festival. “Mandoob” [a groundbreaking Saudi Arabian thriller] has just been released in U.K. cinemas. It’s incredible that now, for the very first time, Saudi films get to travel. But we don’t want it to be one Saudi film per year, we want it to be at least 10 films per year. We need to look at the infrastructure and the entire value chain being built around the industry. I believe the Red Sea Film Foundation is playing a pivotal role in all of that. We are supporting films in all stages, from development to distribution.
The first arthouse cinema will soon open in Riyadh. How do you think the contrast between indie and commercial movies is playing out in Saudi?
For us, it’s about forms of expression and good storytelling, whether it’s indie films or the more commercial films. If you have a good story then that’s something that we are going to support. We want to work with all different genres and all different kinds of films. I know that there are producers and financiers who are always looking for a considerable return on investment. But ultimately I think there is a more important message that needs to be highlighted and there is a role for cinema in social transformation and in depicting a certain reality that is taking place. Personally, I am a fan of those artistic films.
Can you give an update on festival and foundation’s new headquarters in Jeddah’s historic old town of Al Balad, which served as the backdrop for the fest’s inaugural edition?
Yes, we are extremely excited to be relocating. The new headquarters will be ready for the festival’s upcoming edition. It’s an exciting time, and it’s an exciting venue, which, of course, is going to be our new home of cinema. We are going to be launching new verticals and new genres and focusing on different aspects that will be announced in due course. But our new cultural square where we are relocating will be welcoming films and people holding labs, master classes, and workshops throughout the year. We don’t want to limit it to the festival.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Editor’s Note: Besides her Red Sea Foundation role Jomana Al Rashid is also CEO of SRMG, a Saudi Arabian publishing and media company, which is publicly traded and is a minority investor in PMC, Variety’s parent company.
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