The Red Sea Film Foundation celebrates Kamila Andani, Marie-Clementine Dusabejambo, Aixa Kay, Laïla Marrakchi, Genevieve Nnaji, and Tara Sutaria at the Red Sea IFF Women in Cinema Gala
Cannes, France – 15 May 2026 – The Red Sea Film Foundation hosted the Women in Cinema Gala, spotlighting the achievements of rising female talent on screen and behind the scenes who are shaping the film industry in the Arab World, Africa and Asia .
During the event held during the 79th Cannes Film Festival at the iconic Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cap d’Antibes, the Red Sea FF celebrated six women whose careers both in film and beyond the screen are redefining the entertainment industries and opening doors for future female storytellers.
The Women in Cinema spotlight honourees this edition are; Kamila Andani (Indonesia), Marie-Clementine Dusabejambo (Rwanda), Aixa Kay (Saudi Arabia), Laïla Marrakchi (Morocco), Genevieve Nnaji (Nigeria) and Tara Sutaria (India). This marks the first year with three spotlight honourees from the African continent.
In addition to the spotlight honourees, Jomana Al-Rashid; Chairwoman of the Red Sea International Film Foundation, Faisal Baltyuor; CEO of Red Sea Film Foundation and Shivani Pandya-Malhotra; Managing Director of the Red Sea IFF welcomed an array of film, TV, and fashion talent from around the world including Demi Moore, Alex Pettyfer, Alicia Vikander, Antonia Campbell Hughes, Chloe Zhao, Lama Abdulwahab, Dhafer L’Abidine, Diane Kruger, Huma Qureshi, Lucas Bravo, Nour Ghandour, Raline Shah, Rami Malek, Sara Sampiao, and Yasmine Sabri.
Diane Kruger, who visited Jeddah and received the Yusr Award at RSIFF 2022, made an address to fellow guests congratulating RSIFF for its ongoing support for women in the entertainment industry and recognising the importance of organisations which champion their stories.
Jomana Al-Rashid, Chairwoman of the Red Sea Film Foundation said: “Across the Foundation’s ecosystem, we are committed to supporting female filmmakers in all stages of their careers – from their first projects nurtured with our Fund and Labs, right through to screening their films on the international stage at Cannes. The remarkable women we’re spotlighting this year each bring distinct creative perspectives that are enriching cinema across the Arab world, Africa and Asia, and reflect our ongoing drive to champion storytellers whose work is shaping culture and opening new pathways for future generations.”
Kamila Andani is an independent filmmaker based in Jakarta, Indonesia, known for her critically acclaimed debut, The Mirror Never Lies. The film received numerous awards both domestically and internationally, including a Best Director nomination at the 2011 Indonesian Film Festival before winning in the same category at the 2012’s Bandung Film Festival. She then went on to direct The Seen and Unseen, which won the Feature Fiction Award at the Adelaide Film Festival. Her 2021 film Yuni premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the prestigious Platform Prize, followed by Before, Now & Then, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival. In 2023, she expanded into television with the Netflix original series “Cigarette Girl”.
Born in Rwanda, Marie-Clementine Dusabejambo‘s journey as a filmmaker started in 2008, when she joined a group of young filmmakers in her neighborhood in Almond Tree Films. In 2010, she responded to a call-out for a script competition by the Tribeca Film Institute, which she won. This victory enabled her to make her first short film, LYIZA, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2011 and won a Bronze Tanit at the Carthage Film Festival in 2012. Clementine worked as a researcher for “Why We Hate?”, a documentary series by Steven Spielberg and Alex Gibney. Her short films have been presented and awarded at several festivals, including the Carthage Film Festival, where she won the Tanit de Bronze in 2012 and 2018 in Carthage. Her first feature film, Ben’Imana, has been officially selected to screen in Cannes 2026 – Un Certain Regard.
Aixa Kay is a Saudi actress and writer whose work spans international productions across Canada and Saudi Arabia, including Saify, which premiered at the Red Sea International Film Festival, and Norah, which had its European premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. She has held leading and co-starring roles in series such as “Almarsa” and “Shari Al Asha”, both of which ranked in the Top 10 on Shahid across multiple countries throughout their airing. Aixa holds a Master’s degree in Creative Writing (Portland State University), which she has put to good use in the industry, having worked as a head writer on two MBC comedies. She is currently developing the series “Mother Afraa” through the Red Sea Labs’ SeriesLab program.
Laïla Marrakchi was born and raised in Casablanca (Morocco), and left for Paris at 18 to pursue her studies. Her debut feature film, Marock (2005) was showcased in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival. Her second feature, Rock the Casbah (2013), boasted a stellar cast, including Hiam Abbass, Nadine Labaki, Lubna Azabal, Morjana Alaoui and Omar Sharif. Laila has also directed two episodes of Damien Chazelle’s “The Eddy” (2020) for Netflix and worked on several French productions.
Genevieve Nnaji is a Nigerian actress, producer, and one of the leading figures in African cinema. Widely regarded as a pioneer of Nollywood’s global expansion, she has built a career defined by critical acclaim, commercial success, and cultural impact. She made her directorial debut with Lionheart, which became the first Nigerian film acquired by Netflix and was selected as Nigeria’s submission to the Academy Awards. Beyond her work on screen, Nnaji is a producer committed to advancing the quality, reach, and global positioning of African storytelling. Her influence spans film, culture, and industry development, making her one of the most recognized and respected voices shaping the future of Nollywood today.
Tara Sutaria’s journey in the arts is an amalgamation of music, theatre, and cinema. A classically trained vocalist and ballerina, she has graced prestigious stages across India, Bhutan, and Japan, with a voice marked by technical prowess and emotional depth. This foundation became the soul of her on-screen presence as she rose to prominence with Student of the Year 2, followed by an almost decade-long career in Indian cinema. Passionate about female-led stories, Tara earned praise for Apurva, while her next film, Toxic, is set for worldwide release in 2026. Graceful, fearless, and refined, Tara embodies a modern artiste and represents the emergence of a global Indian talent whose journey continues to unfold with poise, passion, and purpose.
Faisal Baltyuor, CEO of Red Sea Film Foundation said: “We were honoured to be in the company of an array of inspiring women last night, from our talented honourees to the inimitable Diane Kruger – who has been a friend of the festival for many years. We are grateful to have the efforts we have made to support women across the Arab world, Africa and Asia acknowledged by our industry peers – and to be able to be in Cannes to spotlight the tireless work of female filmmakers.”
With its sixth edition taking place this year, the Red Sea International Film Festival has showcased over 520 films from 85 countries and spotlighted more than 130 Saudi titles — affirming its role in championing local voices and global exchange. The upcoming edition will run from 3–12 December 2026 in the historic district of Al Balad, Jeddah.
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