DUBAI: The Red Sea Film Foundation hosted its annual Women in Cinema gala on Thursday night at the Cannes Film Festival.
The event, held at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cap d’Antibes, brought together actors, filmmakers and industry executives from across the Arab world, Africa and Asia for one of the festival’s most high-profile celebrations of female talent.
It lauded six women recognized for their contributions to cinema and storytelling, with this year’s honorees featuring Moroccan filmmaker Laïla Marrakchi, Nigerian producer Genevieve Nnaji, Indian actor Tara Sutaria, Rwandan filmmaker Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo, Indonesian producer Kamila Andini and Saudi Arabian filmmaker Aixa Kay.
In attendance were Red Sea Film Foundation chairwoman Jomana Alrashid, CEO Faisal Baltyuor, US actress Demi Moore, Tunisian star Dhafer L’abidine, German actress Diane Kruger, Saudi actress Lama Al-Kinani, Egyptian producer Mohamed Hefzy, Portuguese model and actress Sara Sampaio, Egyptian-American star Rami Malek and US actress Michelle Rodriguez.
The Women in Cinema initiative was launched by the Red Sea Film Foundation to champion emerging and established female creatives through mentorship, funding and international exposure. Organizers said the gala continued to serve as a platform for fostering cross-cultural collaboration and highlighting stories from underrepresented regions.
