JEDDAH: Hollywood, Bollywood and Arab stars descended on Jeddah for the opening of the Red Sea International Film Festival on Thursday night.
From Brazilian model Alessandra Ambrosio and Saudi singer Aseel Omran to US actress Michelle Williams, Lebanese songstress Maya Diab, German actress Diane Kruger and US actors Johnny Depp and Will Smith — among many more — it was an affair to remember.
Lebanese actress Nadine Nassib Njeim spoke to Arab News on the red carpet, saying: “The festival marks a turning point for every ambitious Saudi filmmaker, providing excellent support for young talents to showcase their work at international festivals.”
Meanwhile, Saudi director Hakeem Jomah said: “I am super excited to be here especially at this edition … because this one has the most Saudi films of any other edition.”
The glittering event kicked off with a gala screening of Dubai-based Iraqi director Yasir Al-Yasiri’s “HWJN,” which is based on a YA novel by Saudi writer Ibraheem Abbas. Set in modern-day Jeddah, “HWJN” follows the story of a kind-hearted jinn — an invisible entity in Islamic tradition — as he discovers the truth about his royal lineage.
Meanwhile, Kruger, Bollywood star Ranveer Singh and Saudi actor-writer Abdullah Al-Sadhan received career honors at the festival this year.
Earlier on Thursday, Singh graced the red carpet before an “In Conversation” talk by the actor. Dressed in a stylish beige jacket and white pants, he discussed his journey to stardom and his commitment to becoming a versatile actor.
“From action to romance, comedy to drama, I’ve always aimed to test and expand my abilities in these various genres. Showcasing this versatility in my repertoire is a conscious endeavor,” he said on stage.
This year’s celebrity-studded festival jury is presided over by director Baz Luhrmann, joined by Swedish-American actor Joel Kinnaman (“Suicide Squad”); Freida Pinto (“Slumdog Millionaire”); Egyptian actor Amina Khalil (“Grand Hotel”) and Spain’s Paz Vega (“Sex and Lucía,” “The OA”).
The Red Sea International Film Festival runs from Nov. 30 to Dec. 9 and boasts 11 categories of films: Special Screenings; Red Sea: Competition; Red Sea: Shorts Competition; Festival Favorites; Arab Spectacular; International Spectacular; New Saudi/ New Cinema: Shorts; Red Sea: New Vision; Red Sea: Families and Children; Red Sea: Series and Red Sea: Treasures.
The theme of year’s festival is “Your Story, Your Festival.”
