Spike Lee has been appointed jury president at the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia

A1 Digital India News: The festival, which runs from December 5-14, will screen 16 films from the main competition lineup. Those titles include Reema Kagti’s Superboys of Malegaon, which had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, and Kurdwin Ayub’s Moon, which premiered at the Locarno Film Festival, where it won the Special Jury Prize.

“Having had the privilege of experiencing first-hand the incredible cinematography, atmosphere and creativity of the Red Sea International Film Festival in 2022, it is a privilege to return as jury president this year,” said Lee.

“By creating a melting pot to bring culture together to celebrate our important art form, it is vital to continue to provide a platform for young and emerging filmmakers to find their voice in the industry, and this year’s competition is exciting to see, for the first time, directors from the Arab region, Asia and Africa as part of the line-up.” Jomana Al Rashid, President of the Red Sea Film Foundation, praised Lee. "Spike is a pioneering director whose iconic work has made a lasting impact on the medium and culture of cinema," he said.

"His energy, insight and creativity and genuine advocacy for new voices make him the ideal candidate to lead our jury this year." Honours and stage appearances for Viola Davis and Egyptian star Mona Zaki (Perfect Strangers, Flight 404, Sorb: The Squadron, The Spiders) are also scheduled for RSIFF 2024. It will open with Karim Shenvi's The Tale of Dez Family and end with Michael Gracey's Robbie Williams biopic Better Man.

Last year, writer, director and producer Baz Luhrmann (Elvis, Moulin Rouge) headed the jury of the Jeddah Festival Feature Film Competition. Zarrar Khan's In Flames won the Yusr Award for Best Competition Film at the time. The Pakistani-Canadian horror film depicts a mother and daughter dealing with loss, oppression and insecurity after the death of the head of the family.