Red Sea Film Foundation has deepened its engagement with African filmmaking, confirming 15 African or Africa-linked projects—nearly 40% of the 2025 Red Sea Souk lineup, announced on October 30, 2025. The Red Sea Souk, held during the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (December 4–13, 2025), functions as a co-production and project financing market connecting filmmakers from Africa, Asia, and the Arab world with international producers, distributors, and investors.
This year’s African participation spans twelve countries—Tunisia, Sudan, Senegal, Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Rwanda, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Algeria, Egypt, and Uganda—across development, works-in-progress, and episodic sections.
Projects in Development and Production
- “A Time to Wander” — Rim Nakhli (Tunisia)
- “About Love and September Laws” — Mohamed Kordofani (Sudan, France, Germany, Sweden)
- “Coumba” — Mamadou Dia (Senegal, France)
- “Nkanai” — Bruno Tanya (Kenya)
- “Price of Evil” — Ibrahim Mursal (Sudan, Norway)
- “Spaceman in Kongo” — Maisha Maene (Democratic Republic of the Congo, United Kingdom, Germany)
- “To Catch a Falling Sky” — Cheta Chukwu (Nigeria, United Kingdom)
Works-in-Progress
- “Benimana” — Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo (Rwanda, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, France, Norway)
- “La Pyramide” — C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi (Nigeria, United Kingdom, United States, Senegal, Brazil)
- “The Last Days of RM” — Amin Sidi-Boumédiène (Algeria, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar)
- “The Prodigal Son” — Rani Massalha (Tunisia, France, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Qatar)
SeriesLab Projects
- “Mad Bounty and the Midnight Gun” — Talemwa Pius (Uganda)
- “Money Town” — Tony Koros (Kenya)
- “Side Effects” — Hind Metwalli (Egypt)
- “Till Death Do Us Part” — Tomi Folowosele (Nigeria)
The Red Sea Film Foundation’s funding programs—including Red Sea Labs for early development, production financing, and Final Cut post-production awards—position it among the most active institutional supporters of African cinema outside the continent. Its growing presence now parallels global funders such as France’s CNC Aide aux Cinémas du Monde, Qatar’s Doha Film Institute, and Eurimages, reflecting a wider shift in how African filmmakers access international resources.
The 2025 Souk lineup underscores Jeddah’s emergence as a key hub for African co-production and financing, linking sub-Saharan, North African, Gulf, and European creative economies at a moment when domestic film investment across much of Africa remains limited.
Akoroko will report on the Red Sea Souk and all related industry activity from Al-Balad, Jeddah, this December.
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