In ‘Celebration of Women in Cinema’, the Red Sea International Film Festival (RedSeaIFF), hosted a gala event this evening at the 75th Cannes International Film Festival on the grounds of the magnificent Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cap d’Antibes.
The ‘Celebration of Women in Cinema’ gala event recognises and celebrates female filmmakers and acting talent’s incredible work being showcased on the Festival circuit. This is central to the Red Sea’s mission to empower talented women both in front and behind the camera to positively impact the future of the film industry and inspire a future generation of female creatives.
Mohammed Al Turki; CEO and Shivani Pandya Malhotra; Managing Director welcomed an array of film, TV, and fashion talent from around the world including:
Valeria Golino jury president for the Un Certain Regard and Rossy de Palma President of the Jury of the Caméra d’or at the 75th Festival de Cannes along with Naomie Harris, Laetitia Casta, Tahar Rahim, Kaouther Ben Hania, Naomi Campbell, Camille Razat, Sasha Luss, Anja Rubik, Lily Donaldson, Suki Waterhouse, Fatima Al Banawi, Ahd Kamel, Alex Pettyfer, Toni Garrn, Yasmine Sabri, Alessandra Ambrosio, Sara Sampaio, Numan Acar, Tara Emad, Mila Zahrani, Kat Graham and Salma Abu Dief.
At the after-party, Suki Waterhouse gave a private concert and fresh face on the Parisian electronic scene DJ FIONA had guests flocking to the dance floor.
Shivani Pandya, Managing Director of the RedSeaIFF, said: “The Red Sea International Film Festival is dedicated to championing women in the film industry. Our inaugural edition showcased 136 films of which 38% were directed by women and we hope to expand on that figure this year. Our goal is to drive the industry to showcase more unique stories and perspectives from a new wave of female voices from the region, and celebrate the power of positive female storytelling that resonates with audiences not just in the Arab world, but across the globe.”
Mohammed Al Turki; CEO of the RedSeaIFF added: “This is an opportunity for the Red Sea International Film Festival to pay homage to the incredible female talent in the Cannes line-up this year. We are committed to supporting and raising the visibility of exciting new voices from the Arab world through our Festival platform so they can make their mark on audiences and critics alike around the world.”
The ceremony was held with the support of its exclusive media sponsor Hia, stemming from the magazine’s commitment to the patronage of the most prestigious events at Arab and international festivals, especially so for platforms that seek to empower the Arab woman across all field, including cinema where she is powerfully supported by the Red Sea International Film Festival.
The second edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival will run in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from December 1-10, 2022.