DUBAI: Three films supported by the Red Sea Film Foundation will feature at this year’s Locarno Film Festival, which takes place in Switzerland from Aug. 6-16.
Among the 2025 lineup are “Irkalla – Gilgamesh’s Dream” by Iraqi filmmaker Mohamed Al-Daradji, “Becoming” by Kazakh director Zhannat Alshanova, and “Exile” from Tunisian filmmaker Mehdi Hmili.
Each was backed by the foundation through either the Red Sea Fund or the Red Sea Souk, two initiatives designed to champion bold new voices from the Arab world and beyond.
“Irkalla – Gilgamesh’s Dream” offers a reimagining of the Epic of Gilgamesh set against a haunting contemporary backdrop. The film follows a street kid with diabetes as he tries to persuade his tough best friend, the legendary Gilgamesh, to take him to the underworld Arkala.
“Becoming” by Alshanova, a London-based writer/director from Kazakhstan, follows a young woman grappling with identity and independence in modern-day Kazakhstan.
“Exile,” from Hmili, is a powerful portrait of displacement and belonging. In the biggest steel factory of Tunisia, four workers suffering from psychological and physical disorders are haunted by the loss of their colleague. In an atmosphere of social and political tension, their struggle will help them overcome their pain.
The Red Sea Film Foundation said it was “proud to have supported these exceptional projects” and celebrated their selection as a milestone moment for regional cinema.
