Oscar winning film anora Director Sean Baker aims to promote “cultural exchange” at the Red Sea International Film Festival, and will serve as president of the jury for the feature competition.
The American filmmaker, whose work depicts characters from underrepresented and marginalized subcultures, said he was surprised to be approached by the festival but felt it showed how attitudes in Saudi Arabia were changing.
“Honestly, I wasn’t sure if Red Sea would be interested in someone like me because so few of my films were shown in the region, but it definitely shows a change in terms of accepting different ideas and ideologies,” Baker said. screen on the eve of the festival.
“Change doesn’t happen overnight, but it means a lot to me that festivals are embracing ideas that have been neglected in the past. For me, it’s always about cultural exchange, and festivals like this can foster discussion and the exchange of ideas. This is progress.”
Mr Baker will head a jury comprised of acclaimed Lebanese writer and director Nadine Labaki, British Oscar-winning actor and director Riz Ahmed, British actress Naomie Harris and Ukrainian-French actress Olga Kurylenko.
“We’re going to look for something special,” Baker said, evaluating the 16 titles in competition. “We want to see how cinema is evolving. If a filmmaker can give us something we’ve never seen before, that’s the ultimate.”
It will be the first visit to the region for the American director, who is keen to learn more about the development of the local industry. “It feels like the Saudi film industry is in its infancy, and that’s really exciting,” Baker said. “It feels like we’re in the first half of the 20th century.”th As we approach the turn of the century, we are watching the rise of Hollywood.
“The Red Sea has been amazing in giving a voice to young filmmakers in the region and we look forward to seeing and celebrating these films.”
He added that this attendance will be a final break before starting his next project early next year, but details have not yet been disclosed. Asked if a script had been written, Baker patted his head and said, “It’s all here. It’s just not on paper yet. But we already know what we’re doing and we’re pretty much in the same wheelhouse as the last two movies. We’re going to start really preparing in January.”
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