Dhahran : The Red Sea Film Foundation has concluded its participation in the 12th Saudi Film Festival, held from 26 June to 2 July 2026 at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Dhahran. Three films supported by the Red Sea Fund received four honours during the Festival, while the Fund also presented four awards to film projects taking part in the Production Market.
Hijra, directed by Saudi filmmaker Shahad Ameen, received the Golden Palm for Best Narrative Feature Film, while Irkalla: Gilgamesh’s Dream, directed by Iraqi filmmaker Mohamed Al-Daradji, won the Golden Palm for Best GCC Feature Film. A Matter of Life and Death, directed by Anas Ba-Tahaf, received a Jury Special Mention, while Sarah Taibah was awarded the Golden Palm for Best Acting for her performance in the film.
The honours reflect the growing presence of Red Sea Fund-supported films across the Saudi and regional film landscape and demonstrate the impact of supporting projects throughout their creative journey, from development and production to festival participation and engagement with audiences.
The Red Sea Fund also presented four awards at the Saudi Film Festival’s Production Market. The short film project awards went to Shareet, directed by Dania Jaber, and Bin Jalmoud, directed by Omar Al-Amirat. The feature film project awards were presented to From Zero to a Thousand, directed by Hana Saleh Al Fasi, and Between the Two, directed by Malak Quota. The awards form part of the Fund’s efforts to identify promising film projects and support filmmakers as they advance their work towards production.
The three supported films were screened as part of the Festival programme: Hijra by Shahad Ameen, A Matter of Life and Death by Anas Ba-Tahaf and Irkalla: Gilgamesh’s Dream by Mohamed Al-Daradji.
Hijra follows a grandmother and her two granddaughters on a journey from Taif to Makkah. When the eldest granddaughter disappears, the two remaining women embark on a search shaped by memory, family, faith and belonging. A Matter of Life and Death blends romance, comedy and dark fantasy through the story of Hayat, who believes a family curse will end her life on her 30th birthday, and Youssef, a heart surgeon living with an unusually slow heartbeat. Irkalla: Gilgamesh’s Dream follows a young orphan living on the streets of Baghdad who believes the Tigris River conceals a gateway to the underworld, where he may be reunited with his parents.
As part of the Festival’s professional programme, the Red Sea Fund participated in a panel discussion exploring film support and financing opportunities. The session featured Munthir Altuwayrib, Contracts Supervisor at the Red Sea Fund, and Saudi producer Bakr Alduhaim, and highlighted the Fund’s role in supporting filmmakers, developing new stories and strengthening the regional film ecosystem.
The Foundation’s participation in the Saudi Film Festival reflects its continued engagement with local film events and its commitment to supporting Saudi and regional filmmakers and projects through its key initiatives, including the Red Sea Fund, Red Sea Souk and Red Sea Labs.
