The Red Sea International Film Festival (Red Sea IFF) has revealed the full industry programme for its Red Sea Souk, the largest film market in the Arab region. The programme will take place from 6-10 December, welcoming over 160 exhibitors from over 45 countries to its marketplace, with a 20% increase in stands from the previous edition. The Souk offers an expanded lineup of activities bringing together new talent, emerging filmmakers and established regional and international industry leaders for an increased number of talks, panels, workshops and masterclasses running alongside the Souk Project Market.

 

The Festival’s flagship industry conversation series, Souk Talks, returns with a programme of high-level discussions offering essential insights into the global film landscape. Running throughout the full duration of the Souk, the sessions will bring together some of the most influential and forward-thinking voices from across the regional and international screen industries, discussing the key issues shaping today’s screen content ecosystem including AI, co-production, the streaming landscape, the growth of Saudi audiences and the kinds of projects financiers are seeking.

 

The impressive lineup of speakers include Hamza Ali (Watermelon Pictures), Anmar Al Qurashi (VOX Cinemas), Ash Atalla (Roughcut Television), Gaëtan Bruel (CNC), Gianluca Chakra (Front Row Entertainment), Akunna Cook (Next Narrative Africa Fund), David Davoli (Anonymous Content), Alaa Fadan (Telfaz11), Tamim Fares (Disney+), Stuart Ford (AGC Studios), Soleil Gharbieh (The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture), Ali Jaafar (MBC Group), Rony Jazzar (IMAGIC Group), Alaa Karkouti (MAD Solutions & Arab Cinema Center), Sonia Latoui (Mediawan), Vikram Malhotra (Abundantia Entertainment), Natasha Matos-Hemingway (Shahid), Imane Mezher Gibran (Netflix), Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu (Akuna Group), Steve Plimsoll (HUMAIN), Negin Salmasi (Medan), Zaid Shaker (Film AlUla), and David Taghioff (Library Pictures International).

 

For 2025, the Red Sea Souk is offering selected industry partners a platform to host and curate their own industry sessions for the programme, allowing them to discuss the issues that matter to them, showcase new initiatives and highlight industry developments in their countries or regions. These bespoke events have been planned by the Cultural Development Fund, Amazon Studios, African Culture Agency, Riyadh University of the Arts, Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Cinemas of India, Consulate of Pakistan, and Milano Talent Factory – featuring speakers including Aaron Padacké Zegoubé, Chadian filmmaker and founder of Les Ateliers Touma; Mohamed Ghazala, Vice President, ASIFA & Head of Animation, AUD in Egypt; Bírol Güven, Director General of Cinema Birol, scriptwriter and producer; Migde Velázquez, Senior Production Executive in Global Series; Tom Pistohl, Production Executive at Amazon MGM Studios, Los Angeles; Basil Al Alola, Chief Business Officer at the Cultural Development Fund (CDF); and Rasha AlEmam, CEO and Co-Founder, Yellow Camel Studios, Jeddah.

 

The Souk Talents strand continues to empower emerging film professionals from Saudi Arabia and the Arab region through a dynamic programme of workshops, mentorship, and interactive talks. This year, the initiative expands upon The Gems Program with four complementary strands: Filmmakers Gems, a personalized program for directors presenting short films in competition; Film Critics Gems, a reflective space for open discussions on the role and impact of film criticism; Short Film Gems, an initiative to support emerging filmmakers to dev

 

TV Beats Forum, the drama strand of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, will present the second annual Honorary TV Beats Producer Awards in 2025. This year, the awards will be given to Gudny Hummelvoll and Jevgeni Supin.

According to Petri Kemppinen and Roosa Toivonen, Co-Heads of TV Beats Forum, the decision to present two awards this year reflects the event’s desire to bring attention to the producer’s pivotal role in the  audiovisual industry - without their dedication, enthusiasm, dynamism, resourcefulness and sheer willpower a lot of the content that the audiences enjoy and gravitate to simply wouldn’t exist. Working as a producer in smaller countries where the home market cannot fully sustain a global ambition level is even more challenging, yet this year’s recipients have overcome even this obtsacle.”  

“The Honorary Producer Award at TV Beats recognizes Gudny Hummelvoll’s outstanding contribution to Nordic and European television, her role in shaping the region’s creative identity, and her enduring commitment to excellence in storytelling,” say Kemppinen and Toivonen.

Hummelvoll is considered one of the most influential producers in the Nordic screen industry, celebrated for her vision, leadership, and dedication to world-class storytelling. Throughout her distinguished career, she has elevated Norwegian and Nordic drama through an impressive slate of acclaimed productions, including Billionaire Island, Headhunters, and Occupied.  As founder and CEO of Hummelfilm, Hummelvoll has spearheaded a generation of cross-border projects that have defined the Scandinavian television renaissance. Currently, she is an Executive Committee member and Vice President of the European Producers Club.

The recognition of Jevgeni Supin highlights his remarkable achievements and the dynamic ambition he brings to Baltic screen production. “Jevgeni has played a pioneering role in bringing Estonian and Baltic drama to the international stage,” the Co-Heads note. “His work on landmark series such as Von Fock and the first Estonian Viaplay original Who Shot Otto Mueller demonstrates his ability to consistently attract global partners for original co-productions. Jevgeni’s career so far is a testament to how Baltic producers are driving innovation, collaboration, and international visibility for this up-and-coming region, chock-full of creative talent, and this award celebrates his commitment and efforts to make Baltic voices resonate globally.” 

The Honorary Producer Awards will be presented on 18 November at TV Beats Forum, following a fireside chat with Gudny Hummelvoll, Jevgeni Supin, and Marike Muselaers.

Check the full TV Beats Forum programme here

The Honorary TV Beats Producer Award celebrates prominent and inspiring visionaries from the series production landscape across the Nordics, Baltics, and Central and Eastern Europe. The award recognizes producers who have made a significant impact on TV drama through bold storytelling, creative risk-taking, and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of what television can be. Honourees are trailblazers whose ambitious work brings local stories to the global stage while stretching the creative possibilities of their home regions.

TV Beats Forum takes place on 17-18 November in Tallinn in Nordic Hotel Forum and also online, as part of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, North Europe’s busiest platform for audiovisual professionals, where professionals from

The international short film and animation festival within Tallinn Black Nights announced the winners of its 2025 edition this Saturday, November 15 at the PÖFF Shorts Award Ceremony.

The winners of the Shorts Live-Action, Animation and National Competitions will all be eligible for qualifying for an Academy Award should they fulfil the academy's requirements.

The PÖFF Shorts' European Film Academy candidate for Nomination for European Film Award Best Short Film - Prix Vimeo and the Rebels With A Cause winner will be announced on Friday, November 21 at the Black Nights Film Festival closing ceremony.

The Black Night Film Festival's PÖFF Shorts will run the last of its side programmes until November 19.

PÖFF SHORTS ANIMATION COMPETITION
Jury: Izabela Plucinska, Carolina López, Martinus Klemet

BEST SHORT FILM
1000€ presented by: PÖFF
"Because Today Is Saturday" (Portugal, France, Spain, 2025)
Director: Alice Eça Guimarães

Jury Statement: "A poetic and metaphorical portrait of motherhood, capturing the difficulty of nurturing and trying to keep a creative personal space. The film’s powerful imagery reveals how one role interfiers the other, with the use of original metaphors, no dialogue  and a beautiful rhythm."

JURY MENTION
"Dog Ear" (Hungary, 2025)
Director: Péter Váczy

Jury Statement: "A tender and deeply felt story that sensitively portrays a troubled boy and his bond with a dog. The characters are crafted with remarkable empathy, allowing the audience to truly inhabit their emotional world."

BEST CHILDREN'S FILM
"The Drifting Guitar" (France, Switzerland, 2024)
Director: Sophie Roze

Jury Statement: "A beautifully crafted tale about finding home, companionship, and harmony. With expressive design, strong musical work, subtle  humour and exceptional voice acting, it resonates warmly with audiences of all ages."

JURY MENTION
"Birds of Paradise" (Poland, France, 2025)
Director: Tomek Ducki

Jury Statement: "For beautiful  artwork  and wonderful animation, in which the world of birds has funny and unusual ideas."

BEST FILM (NEW TALENTS ANIMATION)
Presented by: PÖFF
"Pear Garden" (Germany, 2024)
Director: Shadab Shayegan

Jury Statement: "A moving work that intertwines a child’s imagination with the reality of cancer. Through a young perspective, the film transforms a difficult subject into a poetic and heartfelt journey."

JURY MENTION (NEW TALENTS)
"Floating" (Serbia, Croatia, Germany, 2025)
Directors: Jelena Milunović

Jury Statement: "For a beautiful and innovative presentation of a very personal theme, where the mental health issues of parents are expressed through metaphor and poetry."

PÖFF SHORTS LIVE-ACTION COMPETITION
Jury: Naomi Smith, Gert Põrk, Adrian Barber

BEST SHORT FILM
1000€ presented by: PÖFF
"Something Wild” (Hungary, USA, 2025)
Director: Zsuzsanna Konrad 

Jury Statement: "High level traditional storytelling uses humour to make the film accessible to all audiences and pushes boundaries in its risk taking. It presents historical and religious ideas in a way that tricks you into the falling for reality of the story and the characters' situation."

JURY MENTION
"Ramón Who Speaks to Ghosts" (Canada, Spain. 2025)
Director: Shervin Kermani

It’s the Final Day of the Festival! What an incredible five days it’s been, thank you for being part of the UK’s largest event celebrating screen and media! As we wrap up an inspiring week of creativity, connection and innovation, […]

The post Day Five of Aesthetica Film Festival first appeared on Aesthetica Short Film Festival.

Immerse yourself in “Dreams Begin” — an epic orchestral vocal masterpiece by Generdyn featuring Brooke Williams. A cinematic journey of emotion, hope, and imagination that blurs the line between dream and reality. Perfect for fans of epic, inspiring, and emotional cinematic music. ? Music by: Generdyn ? Vocals by: Brooke Williams Lose yourself in the soundscape where inspiration is born — this is where your dreams begin. Follow Generdyn: ▸ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5hapHjhxu0KGpkjz8GGGoO ▸ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/generdyn ▂ Epic Music World Websites: ▸ Keep Me Alive (Donation): https://goo.gl/iIsogi ▸ Epic Music World II: http://bit.ly/1Oo4n11 ▸ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpicMusicWorld2/ ▸ Join Discord: https://discord.gg/ry5z8AZ ▸ Website: http://www.epic-music-world.com ▸ Patreon: https://patreon.com/EpicMusicWorld ▸ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/epicmusicworld ▸ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epicmusicworld/ ? Animation by Realtime Motion Studios ▂ Image Artist: WLOP ▸ Image: https://x.com/wlopwangling/status/1966810922070200711/photo/2 ▸ ArtStation: https://www.artstation.com/wlop ▸ Pixiv: https://www.pixiv.net/en/users/2188232 ▸ Gumroad: https://wlop.gumroad.com/ ▸ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wlopart ▸ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wlop?ty=h ▸ Tumblr: http://wlopwangling.tumblr.com/ ▸ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wlopwangling ▸ DeviantArt: http://wlop.deviantart.com ▂ Copyright Info © ✔ Be aware all music and pictures belongs to the original artists. ✔ This video was given a special license directly from the artists. ✖ I am in no position to give anyone permission to use this .➝ Please ask the artists and NOT me for permission !!!

We’ve reached the #ASFF2025 midpoint – and there’s so much more to come! From inspiring industry masterclasses, VR workshops to film screenings from around the world, today is a celebration of screen and media. Here’s a roundup of today’s top 10 events to look forward to. Take […]

The post Day Three of Aesthetica Film Festival first appeared on Aesthetica Short Film Festival.

Day Two is here! A big thank you to everyone who took part in our opening day events yesterday. We are looking forward to another day of bold masterclasses, the opening of the UNESCO EXPO, inspiring film screenings, and networking […]

The post #ASFF2025: Day 2 Highlights first appeared on Aesthetica Short Film Festival.

 

The Red Sea International Film Festival (Red Sea IFF) will present Rowan Athale’s biopic GIANT as its Opening Night gala film for its fifth edition. From the British-Indian filmmaker, GIANT tells the uplifting story of British-Yemeni boxing champion Prince Naseem ‘Naz’ Hamed, and will screen in its MENA premiere on 4th December 2025.

GIANT recounts the remarkable and inspiring true story of legendary British-Yemeni boxing champion Prince Naseem 'Naz' Hamed – played by Egyptian-British actor Amir El Masry – and his relationship with Irish boxing trainer Brendan Ingle, charting Naz’s rags-to-riches underdog tale from his humble beginnings in Sheffield to becoming champion of the world. With his dominance of the sport, Naseem faced down the abhorrent racism and islamophobia that swept Britain in the 1980s and '90s to become a global sporting icon. The film explores the unlikely and tender relationship between Naz and Ingle, and the instrumental role that Ingle played on Naz’s road to success. An inspiring biopic of the boy behind the Prince — one of the greatest showmen the sporting world has even seen.

Faisal Baltyuor, CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation, said “Our selection of “GIANT” as the opening film of the fifth edition embodies an artistic celebration of regional talents who have established their presence on the global film scene. Through the story of an Arab world champion in boxing, the film portrays a journey of perseverance that inspires generations and reflects pride in identity.highlighting the growing presence of Arab stars in international productions alongside global names, reaffirming that Arab cinema today stands as a powerful force in the global film landscape.”

 

About Red Sea International Film Festival
 

The Red Sea IFF is a grand celebration of film, bringing the best of world cinema to Jeddah. Over the past four editions, the Festival has premiered critically acclaimed award-winning filmmakers and films, classic cinema, and a spotlight on films from underrepresented voices underscoring the Festival's commitment to cinematic excellence and bridging cultures. 

 

The Festival has garnered significant recognition, winning many awards for best cultural and film events. It has achieved massive publicity, reaching millions of audiences worldwide, with thousands of press attendees. Regarded as Saudi Arabia's highest-profile and most anticipated event, the Festival has captured the attention and acclaim of renowned industry figures worldwide and has been attended by tens of thousands of accredited visitors. 

 

As the largest celebration of cinema and culture in the MENA region, the Festival features exciting new films on the big screen, alongside retrospective programs celebrating cinema masters, the latest Saudi films, feature and short film competitions, industry events, and masterclasses (In Conversations). 

 

For ten exhilarating days (December 4-13), the Festival will transform the historic Jeddah Old Town, Al-Balad, into a cinematic wonderland, captivating film enthusiasts, industry professionals, and global audiences alike for its upcoming fifth edition. Al Balad is recognized as a UNESCO site that offers a captivating cultural experience reflecting the rich heritage of Saudi Arabia.

 

 

 

 

 

TV Beats, the drama series-focused strand of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, will showcase a record 31 drama series projects in various stages of development during its 2025 edition alongside insightful panel discussions. 

This year’s programme brings together several key initiatives: the TV Beats Co-Financing Market, MIDPOINT Series Launch, two new sections Series Bridges Baltics and Coming Soon, as well as the Screening Day offering an extensive overview of the most exciting new projects in the region and  Europe. 

Petri Kemppinen and Roosa Toivonen, the co-heads of TV Beats Forum, comment that TV Beats isn’t just about surviving the changes in the industry—it’s about thriving through them together as a collective and ecosystem. “In the heart of medieval Tallinn, we have wanted to create a collaborative and inspiring refuge where producers and creators from across the Baltics, CEE, Nordics and beyond can build and sustain relationships, share strategies, spot opportunities, and learn from each other about new trends and innovations that will help drive and pivot business decisions - to keep telling stories to audiences whose consuming habits are constantly evolving,” they add.

The TV Beats Co-Financing Market section will present eight European series projects. Out of the eight projects, which will be pitched in Tallinn on 17 November 2025, seven are eligible for the Council of Europe Series Co-Production Development Award, worth €50,000. After the pitches, the jury will select the most promising project to receive the award. Check the projects here 

For the first time, TV Beats introduces Coming Soon, a showcase dedicated to upcoming series from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The projects,seeking funding, distribution, and sales partnerships, will be announced in the beginning of November.  

Launched this year, Series Bridges Baltics will present six projects led by writer–producer duos from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The participants will take part in a five-day programme including group sessions and one-on-one mentoring with international experts. All projects will also be pitched during the TV Beats Forum. A jury selects a winner that will get a spot at Seriesmania Forum in Lille next March. 

Returning for the sixth year, MIDPOINT Series Launch will bring nine carefully selected original drama series projects to the TV Beats Market, offering a glimpse into some of the most promising new works from emerging European creators.

For the second year in a row, TV Beats Screenings will introduce five newly completed drama series to sales agents, distributors, and professionals from the local and international TV and film industry. The 2025 line-up features productions from the Nordic countries, Eastern Europe, and Spain, including titles developed in collaboration with Canal+ and HBO Max Spain. The screenings of the first episodes will be followed by the Q&As. 

Strategies for sustainable series production

TV Beats has also been a valued place to share experiences and discuss the most burning issues in the industry. In 2025, TV Beats Forum will host two insightful panel discussions “Meeting of Minds” that explore the transfo

Portsmouth, NH  – The New Hampshire Film Festival (NHFF) closed four inspiring days of screenings, conversations, and community with the announcement of its 2025 award winners, celebrating outstanding achievements across […]

The post The 23rd Annual New Hampshire Film Festival Announces 2025 Award Recipients appeared first on New Hampshire Film Festival.