fter making its presence felt at the third edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival with In Flames, which won the Mannheim-Heidelberg Prize, the country’s absence from the global festival in 2024 seemed ambiguous.

It was therefore encouraging to see Pakistan make a splash at this year’s event, which was held earlier this month in Jeddah. Set in the historic Al Balad district, the fast-growing international platform brought together world premieres, leading industry figures and filmmakers from across the world.

The country was represented by Atiqa Odho, Tauseeq Haider and Shahzad Nawaz, who also took part in a panel discussion on December 9. The session explored Pakistan’s evolving cinematic landscape while reaffirming its tradition of storytelling and growing eng-agement with cross-cultural collaboration.

The 2025 edition featured 111 films, including 38 world premieres, from over 45 countries. The Competition Jury was chaired by Oscar-winning filmmaker Sean Baker, further underscoring the festival’s rising international stature.

Industry activity centred on the Red Sea Souk, the festival’s marketplace supporting emerging and established filmmakers. With 28 awards totalling nearly $700,000, the Souk recognised Works-in-Progress, Development Projects and Series. The jury comprised Abdulrahman Khawj, Eliott Khayat, Mahdi Fleifel, Rungano Nyoni and Jihan El Tahri, with winners announced on December 10.

For Pakistan, participation extended beyond visibility.
The delegation’s presence marked a cultural milestone for the local film industry, signalling renewed confidence in stories capable of travelling beyond borders. The team also acknowledged the efforts of Noshien Ahmed Waseem of Hive Works, who has been instrumental in facilitating the delegation’s participation in the festival.

The Red Sea Souk also introduced curated industry sessions in 2025, allowing par-tners to address regional prio-rities and emerging initiatives. Participating organisations included the Cultural Devel-opment Fund, Amazon Studios, African Culture Agency, Riyadh University of the Arts, the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Cinemas of India, Milano Talent Factory and the Consulate of Pakistan. Speakers included Aaron Padacké Zegoubé, Mohamed Ghazala, Migde Velázquez, Tom Pistohl, Basil Al Alola and Rasha AlEmam.

Pakistan’s presence was further reinforced through the Red Sea Fund’s first cycle of post-production grants for 2025, which included Ghost School by Seemab Gul. Written, directed and produced by Gul, the film stars Nazualiya Arsalan, Samina Seher, Adnan Shah
Tipu, Vajdaan Shah, Muhammad Zamaan and Muhammad Zayan.

The synopsis of the film is as follows: “Ghost School follows 10-year-old Rabia as she inv-estigates the sudden closure of her school amid rumours
of supernatural forces. Her search for answers reveals a society shaped by superstition, corruption and class divisions, offering a restrained yet aff-ecting reflection on injustice and hope.”

A British-Pakistani filmmaker, Seemab Gul holds degrees in Fine Art and Filmmaking from the London Film School. Her short film Sandstorm premiered at Venice and was screened at more than 100 international festivals, including Sundance, earning multiple awards and two Oscars-qualifying honours. She also directed the documentary Zahida, broadcast on Al Jazeera.

The festival concluded with the announcement of the Yusr Awards during the closing ceremony. Four honorary awards were presented to Darren Aronofsky, Idris Elba, Sir Anthony Hopkins and Saudi actor and filmmaker Ahd Kamel. The awards were judged by Head of Jury Sean Baker alongside a panel that included British-Pakistani actor, writer and rapper Riz Ahmed, Naomie Harris, Olga Kurylenko and Nadine Labaki, as well as the Shorts Jury comprising Darin J. Sallam, Nour Alkhadra and Kim Magnusson.

As the Red Sea International Film Festival continues to establish itself as a key cultural platform, Pakistan stands at a defining moment as a film industry ready to engage with global audiences through stories that are both locally rooted and globally resonant.