The Red Sea International Film Festival has unveiled 38 compelling feature film and TV projects as part of this year’s Red Sea Souk Project Market, showcasing a continued commitment to championing bold storytelling and exciting new voices in cinema. This year’s selection highlights a diverse range of narratives and talent from across the globe.
The selected projects represent the culmination of the Red Sea Labs annual development program within the Lodge, in partnership with TorinoFilmLab and sponsored by Film Alula. Further expanding its support for episodic storytelling, the Project Market will also feature, for the first time, seven series currently in development through Red Sea SeriesLab, in collaboration with Film Independent.
Marking a significant expansion of the program, the Souk this year opened its call for submissions to filmmakers across Asia for the first time, resulting in 28% of total submissions originating from the continent. Previously, it was open exclusively to projects with directors from Africa or the Arab world.
An international panel of readers evaluated submissions from the open call, with the final selection determined by a dedicated selection committee. Each project will benefit from tailored pitch mentoring in the lead-up to the Souk, ensuring filmmakers are optimally prepared to connect with potential partners and investors.
Reflecting the Souk’s ongoing support of talent, the Souk is welcoming back filmmakers Asmae Al Moudir, Sofia Alaouiand Halkawt Mustafa, whose previous feature films screened at the 2023 Red Sea International Film Festival, and who will present their exciting new projects in development during the 2024 edition.
Commenting on this year’s selection, Red Sea Souk Director Holly Daniel said: “This year’s Red Sea Souk Project Market selection truly embodies our commitment to championing diverse voices and perspectives. As we open our Project Market up to the whole of Asia for the first time, the 38 projects in selection this year represent some of the most original talent and stories from across the two continents and we are delighted to present them to the industry in our new Festival home in Jeddah’s old town."
All selected projects will be considered for the Red Sea Souk and Red Sea Labs Awards, alongside a number of partner awards to be announced soon. These awards offer crucial financial support at various stages of a project's lifecycle, including development, production, and post-production, as well as dedicated support for projects within the Lodge and SeriesLab.