Raseef 17 and Anis Al Rouh have been named the winners of the sixth edition of the Red Sea 48Hr Film Challenge, while On My Behalf received a Special Mention from the jury.
The winners were announced following the official screening and awards ceremony on September 18, where the jury reviewed 13 completed short films produced as part of this year’s challenge.
The jury included filmmaker and screenwriter Houda Benyamina, Saudi actor and producer Suhayb Qodus, and Saudi actress Khairia Abu Laban.
13 Teams Took Part
Earlier this year, the Red Sea Film Foundation selected 13 teams from a record 127 submissions by emerging filmmakers from across Saudi Arabia.
Presented in collaboration with Alliance Française and the Consulate General of France in Jeddah, the challenge gives participants an intensive filmmaking experience compressed into a 48-hour format.
Teams take their projects from developing an initial idea and writing a screenplay through production, editing and final delivery.
“The 48Hr Film Challenge asks emerging filmmakers to go from a blank page to a finished film in two days, and what this year’s teams delivered under that pressure was remarkable,” said Faisal Baltyuor, CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation.
He congratulated the winning teams and all 13 participants, highlighting the emerging filmmaking talent represented by this year’s submissions.
Winners to Receive International Opportunities
The two winning teams will receive Red Sea 48Hr Film Challenge trophies.
The leader of each winning team will also receive an international residency opportunity in France in 2027. Both winning films will additionally be screened at the next edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival.
The Red Sea 48Hr Film Challenge is part of the Red Sea Film Foundation’s year-round programme supporting and developing emerging filmmaking talent in Saudi Arabia.
The Foundation operates as an independent non-profit organisation supporting the film sector across Saudi Arabia, the Arab world, Asia and Africa, through initiatives including the Red Sea Fund, Red Sea Labs, Red Sea Souk and Red Sea International Film Festival.
