The Red Sea Fund, a programme of the Red Sea Film Foundation, has announced the participation of two Saudi film projects in Sud Ecriture International Workshop No. 44, as part of its partnership with Sud Ecriture.
The selected projects are The Man from Copenhagen by Nada Al Wabel and Running with Street Cats by Zahra Zuhair. Both projects are receiving full funding from the Red Sea Fund to participate in the workshop’s two-session development programme under the mentorship of Dora Bouchoucha and Lina Chaabane.
The projects have completed the first workshop session, during which the filmmakers took part in collective screenplay discussions, detailed scene-by-scene analysis and individual meetings with the mentors. They will now undertake a dedicated rewriting period before returning for the second session at a later date.
Founded in 1997, Sud Ecriture supports screenwriters from Africa and the Arab world in developing their first or second feature films. Its two-session workshop model places the author’s intention at the centre of the creative process, combining collaborative script analysis, individual mentorship and an extended period of rewriting between the two sessions.
Through the programme, the two Saudi projects are working to deepen their screenplays, strengthen their narrative structures and refine their artistic visions within a rigorous and collaborative international environment.
The Man from Copenhagen follows a stranger who, after a motorbike accident in the middle of the desert, is taken in by Leila, who lives with her father and son. His arrival becomes a catalyst for long-buried family tensions, reshaping Leila’s relationships with those closest to her.
Running with Street Cats follows a young divorced woman who regains control of her life while exposing a network of labour-contract fraud exploiting thousands of Saudis seeking decent employment.
The projects are being mentored by Dora Bouchoucha, President and Founder of Sud Ecriture and a member of its mentoring team, alongside Lina Chaabane, a Tunisian producer and mentor whose work has contributed to the development of Arab and African cinema through international training and development programmes.
Through this partnership, the Red Sea Fund continues to create pathways for Saudi filmmakers to access international mentorship, creative exchange and professional development. The participation of The Man from Copenhagen and Running with Street Cats reflects the Fund’s ongoing commitment to supporting Saudi storytelling, connecting local talent with international expertise and accompanying projects through key stages of their creative journeys.
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