Asser Yassin's "Shamarekh" to World Premiere at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival

Egyptian stars Asser Yassin and Amina Khalil's film "Shamarekh" will have a special screening at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival.

The cast also includes Khaled El Sawy, Mohamed Tharwat, Sally Hammad, Adam Al-Sharqawi, Mustafa Darwish, and others.

The film is scripted and directed by Amr Salama.

"Shamarekh" marks the second collaboration between Yassin and Salama after the 2008 film “Zay El Naharda” as well as the second collaboration between the actor and Khalil after the 2020 film “Saheb Al Maqam”.

The festival unveiled on Monday its 2023 lineup and theme ahead of its third edition despite the Israel-Hamas war that has caused cancellations of several movie celebrations across the Arab world. (scroll down for the full list).

The edition, running from November 30 to December 9 in the port city of Jeddah, will unfold under the theme of “Your Story, Your Festival.”

The Competition section will showcase 17 narrative and documentary features from Asia, Africa, and the Arab world. 

Among the key sections contenders are UK-Palestinian director Farah Nabulsi's critically acclaimed West Bank-set first feature "The Teacher", Tunisian-Moroccan filmmaking couple Afef Ben Mahmoud and Khalil Benkirane the Atlas Mountains-set, theatre troupe road movie "Backstage", Tawfik Alzaidi’s "Norah", which is billed as the first Saudi feature shot in the country’s growing location hub of AlUla, and Iranian director Parviz Shahbazi’s drama "Roxana", for which its lead Yasna Mirtahmasb won the best actor in Tokyo last week.

As previously announced, Baz Luhrmann will serve as the jury president of the festival, which was first announced back in September. His jury has yet to be unveiled.

The festival’s Special Screenings feature French director Maïwenn’s Johnny Depp starring costume romance "Jeanne du Barry" (which was one of the first international films to be financed by the Red Sea Film Foundation) as well as Kaouther Ben Hania’s hybrid work "Four Daughters", co-winner of Cannes’ L’Oeil d’Or documentary prize and Tunisia’s submission for a Best International film this year.

In other key sections, the 11-title Arab Spectacular sidebar will showcase Tamer Ruggli’s acclaimed mother and daughter drama "Back to Alexandria", Iraqi Dubai-based director Yasir Al Yasiri’s groundbreaking fantasy "HWJN", and Meshal Al Jaser’s humorous thriller "NAGA".

Monday’s announcement dispels speculations over whether the event would be canceled due to the Israel-Hamas conflict, in which 1,400 people were killed and more than 240 hostages were taken on October 7.

Multiple Middle East and North African film festivals have abandoned their 2023 fall editions in recent weeks out of solidarity for the population of Gaza, where more than 9,000 people have been killed by Israel’s retaliatory military campaign aimed at eradicating Hamas and bringing home the hostages.

In a statement, Red Sea Foundation CEO Mohammed Al-Turki and Managing Director Shivani Pandya Malhotra have opened up about the reason behind holding the festival despite the events unfolding in the backdrop.

“We feel it is particularly timely to use the medium of film to look at what connects us, and to give a platform to the voices and experiences of people in our region and beyond to foster insight, understanding and compassion. We look forward to once again welcoming the global film community in Jeddah for our third edition,” they said.

Kaleem Aftab, Director of International Programs, said the films selected for the Red Sea: Competition were “a stark reminder of the many issues facing humanity today.”

Antoine Khalife, Director of Arab Programs and Film Classics, echoed these sentiments.

“The vibrancy of Arab cinema, particularly in Saudi Arabia, stands as a testament to the region’s flourishing film industry. Arab filmmakers boldly confront sensitive themes, weaving together narratives that explore family dynamics, patriotism, and the rediscovery of values. Arab cinema is increasingly mirroring the realities of everyday life,” he said.

Check out the lineups below.

Special Screenings

TO MY SON (World Premiere)

Dir. Dhafer L’abidine

Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates

JEANNE DU BARRY

Dir. Maïwenn

France, Saudi Arabia

Arab Spectacular

FOUR DAUGHTERS

Dir. Kaouther Ben Hania

France, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Tunisia

HAJJA

Dir. Abu Bakr Shawky

Saudi Arabia, Egypt

KHALED EL SHEIKH BETWEEN TWO FIRES, ART AND POLITICS (World Premiere)

Dir. Jamal Kutbi

Saudi Arabia

FEVER DREAM (World Premiere)

Dir. Faris Godus

Saudi Arabia

THREE (World Premiere)

Dir. Nayla Alkhaja

United Arab Emirates, Thailand

HWJN (World Premiere)

Dir. Yasir Alyasiri

Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates

BACK TO ALEXANDRIA

Dir. Tamer Ruggli

France, Switzerland, Egypt

NAGA

Dir. Meshal Aljaser

Saudi Arabia

SHAMAREEKH (World Premiere)

Dir. Amr Salama

Egypt

YESTERDAY AFTER TOMORROW (World Premiere)

Dir. Abdulghani Alsaigh

Saudi Arabia

A NOSE AND THREE EYES (World Premiere)

Dir. Amir Ramses

Egypt, United Arab Emirates

I AM AL-ITTIHAD (World Premiere)

Dir. Hamza Tarzan

Saudi Arabia

In Competition

INSHALLAH A BOY

Dir. Amjad Al Rashid

Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, France, Qatar

BEHIND THE MOUNTAINS

Dir. Mohamed Ben Attia

Tunisia, France, Belgium, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Qatar

NORAH (World Premiere)

Dir. Tawfik Alzaidi

Saudi Arabia

HIDING SADDAM HUSSEIN

Dir. Halkawt Mustafa

Norway, Iraq

BACKSTAGE

Dir. Afef Ben Mahmoud, Khalil Benkirane

Morocco, Tunisia, Belgium, France, Qatar, Norway, Saudi Arabia

THE TEACHER

Dir. Farah Naboulsi

United Kingdom, Palestine, Qatar

DALMA (World Premiere)

Dir. Humaid Alsuwaidi

United Arab Emirates

MANDOOB

Dir. Ali Kalthami

Saudi Arabia

SIX FEET OVER

Dir. Karim Bensalah

Algeria, France

DEAR JASSI

Dir. Tarsem Singh Dhandwar

India

IN FLAMES

Dir. Zarra Khan

Pakistan, Canada

WAKHRI (ONE OF A KIND) (World Premiere)

Dir. Iram Parveen Bilal

Pakistan, USA

SUNDAY (YAKSHANBA)

Dir. Shokir Kholikov

Uzbekistan

TIGER STRIPES

Dir. Amanda Nell Eu

Malaysia, Taiwan R.O.C., Singapore, France, Germany, Netherlands, Indonesia, Qatar

ROXANA

Dir. Parviz Shahbazi

Iran

OMEN (AUGURE)

Dir. Baloji

Belgium, Netherlands, Democratic Republic of the Congo

EVIL DOES NOT EXIST

Dir. Ryûsuke Hamaguchi

Japan