Red Sea Souk Award 2025: Complete list of winners

The 2025 edition of the Red Sea Souk Awards was held in Jeddah alongside the Red Sea International Film Festival. The Souk Project Market featured 40 selected feature films and series.

The Red Sea Film Foundation CEO, Faisal Baltyuor, said:

"The Souk has been a growing force in the global film market with almost double the attendance from 2024, welcoming 166 exhibitors across 90 stands for this year's edition. We are proud to highlight the best of the new wave of projects emerging from both debut and established creators, and know that the support our awards provide will be invaluable to the talented filmmakers we are privileged to be championing."

Red Sea Souk Director Holly Daniel added:

"The Souk's Project Market is a vital part of our industry strand that champions the next generation of storytellers, and we have seen projects with incredible potential in our Awards this evening. It's testament to the importance of supporting these filmmakers that in this fifth edition of the festival, we are seeing projects like Zain Duraie's Sink and Cyril Aris's A Sad And Beautiful World that were supported by the Souk now competing in our main Features Competition. Along with our Award partners, we are thrilled to be celebrating these talented filmmakers as we conclude this edition of our thriving programme."

This year's ceremony recognized multiple filmmakers who bagged notable awards, including Sudanese filmmaker Mohamed Kordofani, Palestinian director Maha Haj, and Saudi filmmaker Dania Altayeb.

A description of Sea Souk on its official website reads:

"The Red Sea Souk is the international film market running alongside the Festival, providing comprehensive industry programs and embodying a platform for connection and networking. The Souk represents an open window overlooking the vibrant Saudi, Arab, African, and Asian scenes, showcasing the best upcoming projects, films-in-progress, and fresh talent to regional and international decision-makers."

The Sea Souk is the industry market that runs alongside the Red Sea International Film Festival. It connects filmmakers with buyers, distributors, creatives, and more. It is one of the four parts of the Red Sea Film Foundation:

Red Sea Fund
Red Sea Labs
Red Sea Souk
Red Sea International Film Festival

Complete list of winners at the 2025 Red Sea Souk Award 2025

Arab Cinema Center (ACC)

1 supported place for an Arab producer on the International Film Festival Rotterdam Producers Lab 2026

Awarded by Arab Cinema Center

DHEL producer Fahd Samman (Winner)

Arab Radio and Television Network (ART)

Two ART Awards for one Saudi Project with a Production Grant of 50,000 USD for a Project in Development or Production

Awarded by ART

A NOBLE DEPARTURE (Winner)

DHEL (Winner)

ART Award for one Arab Project with a Production Grant 50,000 USD

Awarded by ART

PLAYHOUSE by Maha Haj (Winner)

Blue Bee Productions

Blue Bee Productions Award for one project with an amount of 10,000 USD

Awarded by Blue Bee Productions

POSITIVE by Hanaa Saleh Alfassi (Winner)

CNC

CNC Award for one project with an amount of €10,000

Awarded by the Red Sea Souk Projects in Development Jury

THE DAUGHTER by Tian Guan (Winner)

DTS

DTS in-kind award consisting of sound post-production worth the equivalent of 30,000 USD

Awarded by DTS

DHEL by Dania Altayeb (Winner)

Filmmore

Filmmore in-kind award consisting of a full digital intermediate for a feature film worth 32,500 USD

Awarded by Filmmore

BEN’IMANA by Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo (Winner)

Freshly Ground Stories & Fineprint

Two in-kind awards for business and legal support worth 5,000 USD each

Awarded by Freshly Ground Stories

TO CATCH A FALLING SKY by Cheta Chukwu (Winner)

PHILAX by Ruken Tekes (Winner)

Habbar

Habbar cash 10,000 USD plus in-kind award worth 40,000 USD for marketing services

Awarded by Habbar

GREEN CORPSE by Khalid Zidan (Winner)

Ithra

Ithra cash award of 50,000 SAR

Awarded by Ithra

GREEN CORPSE by Khalid Zidan (Winner)

Leyth Production & Easy Distribution

Leyth Production in-kind editing award worth 50,000 USD

Awarded by Leyth Production

ABOUT LOVE AND SEPTEMBER LAWS by Mohamed Kordofani (Winner)

Easy Distribution in-kind distribution award for Tunisia worth 10,000 USD

Awarded by Easy Distribution

THE PRODIGAL SON by Rani Massalha (Winner)

MAD Solutions

MAD Solutions in-kind award worth 50,000 USD

Awarded by MAD Solutions

INFIDELS by Eli Jean Tahchi (Winner)

Oticons

One in-kind award worth 10,000 USD for music consulting

Awarded by Oticons

RIA by Arvin Belarmino (Winner)

Shift Studios

12,000 USD Shift Studios awards for a promotion package

Awarded by Shift Studios

A NOBLE DEPARTURE by Dahlia Baeshen (Winner)

ABOUT LOVE AND SEPTEMBER LAWS by Mohamed Kordofani (Winner)

8,000 USD Shift Studios award for a full DCP package

Awarded by Shift Studios

POSITIVE by Hanaa Saleh Alfassi (Winner)

Red Sea Souk Works in Progress Awards

Red Sea Souk Post-Production Jury Special Mention Award with a grant of 15,000 USD

Awarded by Red Sea Souk WIP Jury

YESTERDAY THE EYE DIDN’T SLEEP by Rakan Mayasi (Winner)

Red Sea Souk Post-Production Award with a grant of 40,000 USD

Awarded by Red Sea Souk WIP Jury

BEN’IMANA by Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo (Winner)

Red Sea Souk Series Awards

Two 10,000 USD Red Sea Souk Series Awards

Awarded by Red Sea Souk SeriesLab Jury

MONEY TOWN by Tony Koros (Winner)

SIDE EFFECTS by Hind Metwalli (Winner)