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The fifth edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF) kicked off in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah on Thursday with glitz, glamour, and the promise of transforming the country’s nascent cinematic landscape as well as its image. The organisers are calling it the new home of cinema. 

During the opening ceremony, Fast and Furious star Vin Diesel endorsed this idea by saying that “you see more Hollywood here than you see at the Oscars”.

The festival will screen 111 films from over 70 countries during its eight-day run. A total of 38 women filmmakers will screen their films at this year’s festival, highlighting festival chair Jomana Al Rashid’s new vision for the event.

The honorary Red Sea awards were given to British actor Michael Caine, French actor Juliette Binoche, French film director Rachid Bouchareb, American actor Sigourney Weaver and Stanley Tong, the force behind many of Jackie Chan’s films. Binoche was presented the award by Indian superstar Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. 

Ninety-two-year-old Caine appeared on stage in a wheelchair pushed by his three grandchildren while his two daughters watched on in the audience.  

Actors Dakota Johnson, Uma Thurman, Adrien Brody, Ana de Armas, Sean Baker, Queen Latifah and Nina Dobrev were among the superstars in the audience. Baker heads this year’s Yusr Award jury, which will present the award to an emerging talent celebrating boldness and innovation in film. Other members of the jury are Riz Ahmed, Naomie Harris, Nadine Labaki and Olga Kurylenko.

Shifting grounds of cinema — a new opportunity 

Speaking about the festival and spotlighting its achievements, Al Rashid said, “Over the past five years, the Red Sea Foundation has quietly but surely built what many once thought was impossible.”

She highlighted the Red Sea Fund that has provided funding for 330 films, the Red Sea Lab that supported 81 films and 23 series, and Souk that supported 128 projects. She also spoke of seven films supported by the Red Sea Foundation that ended up being chosen by their home countries as official nominations for the Oscars. 

“The world of cinema is changing and streaming has transformed audience habits, while technology is accelerating faster than others. For many, this moment has brought uncertainty and a sense that the ground is shifting between the traditional structures of storytelling but through this podium, I implore you to seize this opportunity to change perspectives because when new models emerge, the world expands before our eyes, unveiling new dimensions of human experiences. The creators who once faced barriers now find open doors.”

Al Rashid said stories could now reach audiences who were once inaccessible, calling it the most precious gift a creator could ever dream of. 

She called the Red Sea Film Festival the new home of films. 

Giant — the opening film

The festival opened with the screening of Giant, a co-production by the UK and Yemen with Sylvester Stallone as its executive producer. The film is a biopic and sports drama based on the rise of British boxer Naseem Hamed aka Prince Hamed, who was the world featherweight world champion from Sheffield, England. Though British-Egyptian actor Amir El-Masry played the lead role of Hamed, veteran Pierce Brosnan stole the show with his passionate acting.

His role was based on Brendon Ingle, a boxing trainer who trained Hamed from childhood. 

Though the film appears to be just a biopic, the real drama is the tussle between the trainer and the trainee, influenced by the forces around them, which takes the central stage and keeps the audience hooked until the end. Brosnan, forever known to all as James Bond, proved to be the real giant when it came to acting skills in the film.

His presence ligners in the film, even when he is not in the scene. Giant will resonate with audiences both in the UK and the Arab region, from where Hamed’s lineage is traced. 

The film covers subjects such as racism, rivalry, student-teacher tussles and jealousy. Giant’s selection as the film to open the festival was significant and clearly hints at the concept of “East Meets West,” referred to as a mission by the new CEO of the Red Sea Foundation, Faisal Baltyuor, in his speech during the opening ceremony.

The selection of films, especially those focused on Asia and Africa, shows the festival’s push to promote cinema from the Global South. 

The festival will continue until December 13. 

Cover photo via Getty for The Red Sea International Film Festival