Indian presence in Red Sea Film festival in Saudi Arabia

The second edition of which began in Jeddah on Friday with a host of movie stars including Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra and music director AR Rahman making dazzling appearances on the red carpet.

Jeddah: Bollywood has made its presence felt in Saudi Arabia’s prestigious International film festival, the Red Sea Film Festival, the second edition of which began in Jeddah on Friday with a host of movie stars including Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra and music director AR Rahman making dazzling appearances on the red carpet.

Having long enjoyed cordial diplomatic and commercial relations with India for decades, Saudi authorities now aim to build mutually beneficial ties with India’s highly successful Hindi film industry. Collaborations in cinema and entertainment are expected to play a crucial role in the promising new era of cross-sector cooperation between Saudi Arabia and India as part of their strategic partnership.

The festival opened with ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It?,’ a romantic comedy directed by Shekhar Kapur.

The open screening of movies on the shores of Red Sea is main feature of the festival, which was inaugurated with Bollywood’s iconic romantic blockbuster movie Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.
The festival held in partnership with VOX cinemas and MBC Group – which will feature 131 films and short films from 61 countries in 41 languages, including both established and emerging talent – will run until December 10. Several new Saudi films will be shown alongside the best of new international cinema, featuring 25 new films from Saudi filmmakers.

In addition to showing movies, the festival includes conversations that will allow attendees to hear filmmakers and actors talk about their career. Gurinder Chadha, British film director of Indian origin, opened the programme In-conversation. Others in the line-up include Indian actors Ranbir Kapoor, Akshay Kumar besides Hollywood actors Sharon Stone and Andy Garcia, Lebanese director and actress Nadine Labaki.

Commenting on the festival, CEO Mohammed al-Turki said the event does not only serve as a clear indicator of change, but it also plays a significant role “in transforming and reshaping the future for our next generation of creatives.”

Shivani Pandya, Managing Director of the festival, said: “The Red Sea International Film Festival has an important role to play in ensuring women’s stories are showcased to as many people as possible and providing a platform to ensure their voices are heard. We strive to establish ways for women to succeed as storytellers as they continue to shape our cultural landscape. Together with Vanity Fair we are celebrating women who are leading the way and inspiring a new generation of creatives.”

Under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 social and economic reform agenda, the government aims to increase household spending on cultural and entertainment activities inside the Kingdom from 2.9 percent to 6 percent.

To achieve this, the Kingdom has been allocating resources generously to the domestic film industry, as well as opening scores of new cinemas, concert venues, sports arenas and leisure facilities across the country.