The Red Sea Souk has announced its selection for the Red Sea Souk Project Market and the Work-In-Progress Showcase. As part of the Red Sea International Film Festival, the Project Market and the Work-In-Progress Showcase are hosted within the Red Sea Souk, which is now in its second edition and will run December 3–6, 2022. The Red Sea Souk offers comprehensive industry programs, unbeatable access to the vibrant new Saudi scene, and the best of the Arab market. The Red Sea Souk selection continues to expand its borders and create bridges with independent cinema in Europe and the USA, positioning itself as a platform for future collaborations to increase the international reach of Arab and African stories. Ten feature debuts and eight from established directors represent the diversity of the selection and embody strong artistic voices bound for the screen. Ten films that took part in the Red Sea Souk last year, supported by the Red Sea Fund, have been selected for some of the world's most prestigious festivals ever since, including the Cannes Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, and the Locarno Film Festival. It is worthy of note that the Project Market is the perfect place to pick up the latest projects from an exciting generation of new and established voices, connecting filmmakers and financiers from across the globe through one-to-one meetings to explore potential collaborations. The first edition of the Market proved instrumental in instigating those vital first introductions; over 560 meetings were hosted, and the Red Sea Souk welcomed 3,115 industry film professionals and media representatives. This year, over 350 distributors, producers, buyers, financiers, sales companies, festival representatives, and commissioners will be on-ground to meet with the projects. All selected projects will compete for cash prizes offered by the Red Sea Fund, to be awarded by two juries. The Project Market jury will award $35,000 for development, $35,000 for the Jury Special Mention Award, and $100,000 for production. All selected films in the Work-In-Progress Showcase will compete for the Red Sea Souk Post-Production Award of $30,000. Participating projects are also eligible for additional awards funded by the Red Sea Souk sponsors and partners. The Project Market will also present the eleven Red Sea Lodge projects developed throughout the year during intensive workshops in partnership with the Torino Film Lab.
