Italian
Global stars were out in full force for the opening ceremony of the fourth edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Thursday.
Besides Hollywood A-listers like Emily Blunt, Michelle Yeoh and Cynthia Erivo, actor and filmmaker Aamir Khan and star Kareena Kapoor were among those adding Indian star power to the event that culminated in the screening of the opening movie, Karim Shenawi’s The Tale of Daye’s Family, the story of an 11-year-old albino. “When he gets a chance to audition for The Voice, Daye and his family embark on a perilous journey from Aswan to Cairo,” according to a synopsis.
The Red Sea Film Festival has officially kicked off as A-listers and international auteurs converged in Jeddah’s old town of Al-Balad in Saudi Arabia’s second-largest city for a decidedly glamorous opening ceremony on Thursday night.
Eva Longoria, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michelle Rodriguez, competition jury president Spike Lee, Will Smith, Vin Diesel, Saudi actor Khaled Yeslam and Daniel Dae Kim were among the other stars in lavish outfits at the opening gala.
Smith, along with Johnny Depp who will be in Jeddah at the tail-end of the festival, was a key presence at last year’s RSIFF, walking the opening-night carpet and talking about the sequel to I Am Legend during an “In Conversation With” session. Smith also shared insight into past “mistakes,” including the infamous Oscars slap, and his state of mind.
The stars made their way this year up a wide, well-lit red carpet set among an Ottoman-style building with backlit coral stone facades and intricate wood latticework, surrounded by bright lights and palm trees. Most took time to pose for the paparazzi and take selfies with fans amid the UNESCO heritage site.
Earlier in the day, amid a sun-splashed setting in Jeddah, Blunt and Khan took part in informal conversations ahead of receiving career tributes at the first-night ceremony. Both received the Red Sea Honoree Award for their contributions to international cinema as Saudi Arabia put itself on show amid the red carpets and glitz of a star-driven international film festival.
Blunt, smartly dressed in a glittering party dress and visibly touched by the emotional reception, was introduced to the audience by Yeoh. “It just makes you realize we have so many stories to tell. We’re brimming with them. We want to experience stories, and we want to communicate our ideas and learn about each other,” Blunt said, reflecting the goal of connecting cultures and reflecting diversity at the Red Sea festival.
When it was Khan’s turn to be feted by the audience, the Bollywood star was introduced by Eva Longoria, who, as a fan since childhood, praised him for his dedication to his craft and world cinema.
“You have gifted the world with so many unforgettable films like Lagaan, 3 Idiots and Dangal. Aamir, your work has touched so many people, including myself,” she said. Responding, Khan said it was an honor to be recognized at the festival.
“It’s been such an enriching experience for me, and I’m really grateful for that. And thank you so much for recognizing our work,” Khan said as he called out to his many longtime collaborators sharing the honor in Jeddah.
Vin Diesel was also feted Thursday night and praised the Red Sea festival. He was introduced by his longtime Fast and Furious co-star, Rodriguez. “I’m just in awe of this film festival, where you can feel the warmth… There might be more familiar faces here than in some of the award shows back in America. Am I crazy to say that?” Diesel told the Jeddah audience to loud applause.
Egyptian star Mona Zaki, who was introduced by Minnie Driver, was also honored at the ceremony and told the auditorium audience in English, before speaking in Arabic: “It’s such an honor being here, really. Thank you for this recognition, Saudi Arabia. It’s huge for me.”
With the Red Sea event now in its fourth year, the Saudis have aimed at a cultural transformation in this sprawling port city amid a dizzying construction boom in Jeddah, with its mix of modern office towers and thriving shopping malls sitting alongside mosques, historic markets and public squares.
Lee took his turn on the Al-Balad stage for his third visit to Saudi Arabia. “You know Hollywood can only do so much. We live in this world. A whole lot of stuff happens outside Hollywood. And we’re going to see the future of cinema right here, at this festival,” Lee said, before introducing his fellow jury members set to judge 16 competitive titles over the next 10 days, including Kim and Driver films.
Jomana Al Rashid, chairwoman of the Red Sea Film Foundation, welcomed the first night audience and added of the Saudi festival’s mandate set around the area: “We stand inspired by the heart and humbled by the history, for this is more than an event. It is a transformative space where a new home culture is taking root, audaciously authentic, widely vibrant and deeply connected to the stories told.”
Saudi Arabia’s tip towards Hollywood this week has included Imax opening its first giant screen in a Muvi Cinemas location on Wednesday night and Netflix holding a pop-up, two-day showcase of its popular films and TV series, like Bridgerton and One Piece, games at Le Chateau in Jeddah.
The first-night festivities in Jeddah led to the world premiere of Karim Shenawi’s The Tale of Daye’s Family, a redemptive drama about an 11-year-old albino in Egypt and light reaching unexpected places.
The Red Sea festival continues through Dec. 14, with all 122 films from 80 countries to screen in Jeddah.
