Red Sea International Film Festival reveals the Souk Project Market awards and jury for the upcoming 5th edition of the festival

The Red Sea Souk has unveiled the industry names that will serve as jurors for the fifth edition of the Souk Project Market, where they will determine the winners of its prestigious Souk Awards. The awards spotlight standout projects across Works in Progress, Projects in Development and Series, all helmed by visionary filmmakers from the Arab world, Africa, and Asia.

There are 28 awards available with a collective total of almost $700,000. All selected projects will compete for jury-granted awards offered by the Red Sea Fund. Further cash and in-kind awards will be presented by international award partners from across the film landscape including Arab Cinema Center, ART, Blue Bee Productions, CNC, DTS, FIlmmore, Freshly Ground Stories & Fineprint, Habbar, Ithra, Leyth Production & Easy Distribution, MAD Solutions, Oticons and Shift Studios

The Projects in Development & Production jury includes:

• Abdulrahman Khawj, Head of Distribution and Advisor to the CEO at Sela Studios – I Am (2014), Arbaoon Aman wa Laylah (2021), The Great Muse (2018)
• Eliott Khayat, Producer at Haut et Court – Santosh (2024), Hola Frida (2024), Nino in Paradise (2025)
• Meiske Taurisia, Producer at Palari Films – All Others Pay Cash (2021), Borderless Fog (2024), Aruna & Her Palate (2018)

The Work in Progress jury includes:

• Mahdi Fleifel, Palestinian Filmmaker – To a Land Unknown (2024), A World Not Ours (2012), I Signed the Petition (2018)
• Rungano Nyoni, Zambian-Welsh Filmmaker – On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (2024), I Am Not a Witch (2017), The List (2009)
• Paolo Bertolin, Artistic Director of Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival and Consultant of Venice International Film Festival. His production credits include Big Father, Small Father and Other Stories (2015, A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery (2016)

The SeriesLab Jury includes:

• David Davoli, President of International at Anonymous Content. Previously, Davoli served as President of Television at BRON Studios
• Hana Alomair, Saudi Arabian Writer and Filmmaker, Chairperson of the Cinema Association and Creative Director at MBC Studios. Alomair recently filmed her debut feature film, Traveler’s Hell which will be released in theatres 2026.
• Jihan El Tahri, Producer and Director – Behind the Rainbow (2008), Nasser (2015) Independent Lens (1999).

Shivani Pandya Malhotra, Managing Director at Red Sea International Film Festival, said “Our Souk Awards play a vital role in nurturing emerging and established filmmakers from the Arab World, Asia, and Africa, ensuring their projects receive the support they deserve. This impact is exemplified by filmmakers like Mahdi Fleifel, who came full circle: taking his Souk-supported project to major festivals worldwide and now returning as a member of our jury. We are honoured to welcome such distinguished local and international jurors to the fifth edition of the Red Sea Souk, each bringing invaluable expertise across festivals, studios, production and global storytelling – furthering our mission to bring transformative stories from these regions to life.”

The Red Sea Souk Awards will be presented on 10th December as part of the Red Sea International Film Festival, running 4-13 December in Al Balad, Jeddah.

Faisal Baltyuor, Chief Executive Officer of the Red Sea International Film Festival, said “The Souk Awards stand as a cornerstone of the Red Sea Film Foundation’s year-round industry strategy. This year, they will sit at the heart of an expanded Souk that brings together the full spectrum of industry and media activities during the Festival. By doing so, we are strengthening the continuum between every stage of a film’s lifecycle—from development and financing to distribution and exhibition—thereby reaffirming our role as a catalyst and accelerator for impactful film projects across the region and beyond.”

Further information can be found at: https://redseafilmfest.com/en/red-sea-souk-awards-2025/