The 4th edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival revealed their upcoming lineup of 15 short films in their Arab Shorts Competition. Running from December 5th to the 14th, the festival will transform the historic Jeddah Old Town of Al-Balad into a cinematic hub.

The festival will represent talent from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Egypt and beyond to provide emerging and established talent a platform to access global audiences and industry professionals. Since its creation, the Arab Shorts Competition has elevated regional film talent with over 120 screenings of Arab films from 2021 to 2023.

“Storytelling is a powerful tool to preserve and translate rich human experiences beyond the limitations of language and culture,” Antoine Khalife, Director of Arab Programs & Film Classics, tells SceneNowSaudi. “By curating a dynamic and diverse program of short films, the Red Sea International Film Festival’s Arab Shorts paints a vivid portrait of experiences shaping the Arab world.”

We have compiled a list of the 15 shorts films from the region whose work will be showcased at the festival.

Fragments of Life

Directed by Anis Ben Dali

Set in a remote mountain village, a fatherless boy with asthma struggles with isolation and conflict with his caretaker. But when his caretaker steals the boy’s puppet, which had served as his father figure, the boy’s anger turns into a mission for revenge.

Saint Rose

Directed by Zayn Alexandre

A housewife unhappy with her life decides to strike up unhealthy vices, while her husband handles their daughter’s upcoming engagement ceremony.

The Signal

Directed by Nasser Alqattan

When a young man’s decision to stop at a traffic light turns him into a viral online sensation, a group of men call the police to uncover the reason behind his actions.

Shams

Directed by Adam Rayan

A young boy reeling from his father’s death has to make a difficult decision when his mother tries to sell his camel to help the family.

Chikha

Directed by Ayoub Layoussifi and Zahoua Raji

Set in Morocco, a 17-year-old student has to decide to follow her family’s musical heritage or pursue a stable lifestyle with someone who has no respect for her family’s past.

African Family Dinner

Directed by Ibrahim Mursal

A Norwegian woman meets her Ghanaian friend's family for the first time during an increasingly awkward dinner.

In Three Layers of Darkness

Directed by Houcem Slouli

The film follows the setbacks a young Tunisian man faces in obtaining a visa, exploring the injustices that prevent citizens from moving freely.

Children of Barzagh

Directed by Ahmed Khattab

Set within war-torn Gaza, a little girl named Noor rescues a dog, leading her on a journey between life and death.

Mera, Mera, Mera

Directed by Khaled Zidan

In a Jeddah neighborhood facing demolition, Saeed loses his ability to say anything besides the word "Mera," which leads him to discovering an astonishing truth.

Malika

Directed by Maram Taibah

A free-spirited Saudi girl sets out to retrieve her dying grandmother’s lost crown from beasts, and finds out what it truly means to be a queen.

Land of God

Directed by Imad Benomar

A civil servant, a gendarme, and an intern are delivering two coffins to two separate families when they accidentally mix-up the bodies.

Nemshi?

Directed by Assaf Al Rousan

Following the death of his father, a well-rounded family man finds himself grappling with his sense of purpose and connection to life.

Fizr

Directed by Rani Nasr

Following an argument with the mayor, who shot his cat, a man flees to a remote cabin. Although he is furious, his friend compels him to be silent, pushing him to choose between survival and loyalty.

Zahra

Directed by Hadi Shatat

The short film follows a clothing factory worker days before she needs to give birth. In a desperate bid to raise money for a C-section, the worker is confronted with the dark realities of her community.

One Last Time

Directed by Karim Rahbani

A lonely senior citizen facing an end-of-life crisis discovers a new lust for life after an accidental meeting with a neighbour.

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