Festival Director Mahmoud Sabbagh commented: “Short films have a special place in
Saudi film culture; it is a format that allows for experimentation and expression. The
competition also taps into a lively Arab shorts community to showcase the best of next-generation filmmaking. It’s exciting to welcome Tim Redford, with his global outlook, to
helm the jury for the first Red Sea Shorts program.”

With 13 films from seven countries, a theme found throughout the shorts is the effects of
shifting social contexts.