Red Sea Market Projects Awards: The Complete List of Winners 2023
In a captivating artistic evening that illuminated the skies of Jeddah, the Bride of the Red Sea, the Red Sea Projects Market its activities by announcing the winners of its annual awards, as part of the Red Sea International Film Festival . This event was more than just an awards ceremony; it marked the emergence of a new generation of filmmakers capable of competing globally, and reaffirmed the pivotal role that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia plays as a leading incubator for cinematic creativity in the region.
A global platform to support creativity
This celebration is the culmination of a year-long effort, as the festival has aimed since its inception to create a sustainable cinematic environment in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 in supporting culture and the arts. This edition witnessed strong competition among more than 40 projects, ranging from feature films to television series, reflecting the growing artistic movement in the Arab region, Africa, and Asia.
A distinguished group of projects successfully secured vital financial and technical support, which fueled their journey from scriptwriting and development to global screens. This support was not limited to the Red Sea Fund alone, but also included contributions from a select group of international partners and global production companies.
Record numbers and growing confidence
In his speech at the ceremony, Faisal Baltair , CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation, revealed a remarkable increase in participation, with the number of participating entities rising to 166 across 90 pavilions, nearly double last year's figures. Baltair emphasized that these awards will be a true turning point for creative talent.
For her part, Shivani Pandya Malhotra , the foundation’s managing director, highlighted the geographical and cultural diversity of the winning projects, emphasizing that stories from the Arab world and Africa now possess a narrative power capable of captivating global audiences. Holly Daniel , director of the Red Sea Market, explained that the market has proven its effectiveness as a launchpad, citing films like “Drowning” and “Stars of Hope and Pain,” which transitioned from projects in development in previous editions to films competing in this year’s official competition.
List of top awards and winning projects
The awards varied to include direct cash support, post-production services, and distribution and marketing opportunities, and the most prominent of these were as follows:
- Major development and production awards:
- The film “House and House” by director Maha Al-Hajj: won an award worth $80,000, in addition to a production grant from the ART network worth $50,000.
- The film “Fantasy” won a prize worth $50,000.
- The film “Green Corpse” received a cash and in-kind award from “Habbar” with a total value of $50,000, and an additional grant from “Ithraa” with a value of 50,000 Saudi Riyals.
- Partner and sponsor awards:
- The Arab Cinema Center: Producer Fahd Samman (film “Dhill”) was given the opportunity to participate in the Rotterdam Lab 2026.
- ART Network: Awarded grants of $50,000 each to “Rahil Nabil” and “Dill”.
- French CNC company: 10,000 euro prize for the film “The Daughter”.
- Mad Solutions: I provided a guaranteed minimum distribution of $50,000 for the film “The Infidels”.
- Technical and engineering service awards:
- DTS audio services worth $30,000 for the movie “Stray”.
- Editing services from Leith Productions worth $50,000 for the film “Of Love and the September Laws”.
- Filmmore's post-production services were valued at $32,500 for the film "Benimana".
It is worth noting that these awards not only represent financial support, but also open doors to international partnerships and put Arab cinema on the map of the global industry, thus enhancing the region’s soft power and confirming Jeddah’s role as a global cultural destination.
