Ithra announces winner of film award at Red Sea International Film Festival

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) has announced Green Corpse by Khalid Zidan as the winner of the SAR50,000 Ithra Film Fund Development Award at Red Sea Film Souk Production Market's closing ceremony, part of the Red Sea International Film Festival held annually in Jeddah (RSIFF, Dec. 4-13).

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A dramatic moment from Hijra.

The Award was presented on December 10; it recognises excellence in the evolution of Saudi feature-film projects that reflect local experiences and perspectives. Ithra made its presence felt at the Souk Production Market during the course of the festival, with a public booth welcoming meaningful exchange and engagement with film industry professionals.

The winning project was selected from the official Saudi film projects participating in the Red Sea Souk Production Market. Green Corpse, inspired by true events in Jazan in 2017, follows Malek, a young sprinter, whose ambitions collide with family pressures and a hidden criminal world.

The film’s selection was the result of its narrative strength, emotional depth and its portrayal of life in southern Saudi Arabia. Jazan Province, also known as Jazan Region, stretches approximately 300 kilometres along the southern coast of the Red Sea, just north of the border with Yemen.

The winner was chosen by a three-person jury composed of regional and international film professionals, including Amjad Abu Alala (jury head), director and producer; Sara Balghonaim, filmmaker and producer; and Mahmoud Ezzat, screenwriter. Besides being partner and annual host of the Saudi Film Festival, which acts as a platform for Saudi filmmakers to learn and explore their passion for film, Ithra supports Saudi filmmakers through the Ithra Film Fund, which provides development financing, creative guidance and year-round opportunities for Saudi talent to develop and share their stories through the screen.