The second edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF) in Saudi Arabia has named three-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker Oliver Stone its jury president and unveiled the program.

The opening film of the festival What’s Love Got to Do With It?, directed by Shekhar Kapur, is a cross-cultural British romantic comedy that follows a filmmaker who decides to document her best friend’s journey toward an arranged marriage. The closing film will be the world premiere of Valley Road from Saudi writer and director Khaled Fahd.

Under the theme Film is Everything, the festival will screen 131 feature films and shorts from 61 countries in 41 languages from both established and emerging talent and will host 34 world premieres, 17 Arab premieres, and 47 Middle East and North Africa premieres, “with a number of filmmakers and actors in attendance for many of the films,” organizers said. More films are expected to be added in the coming weeks.

A platform for Arab filmmakers and industry professionals from around the world to network, host, and present a series of events, masterclasses, and workshops to support emerging talent, this year’s RSIFF will take place from December 1–10 in Riyadh.

“RSIFF is not just a film festival; it is a cultural forum where we exchange our technical and cultural experiences and knowledge and discover new dimensions. It serves as an important platform through which we support the film industry at the local and regional levels,” said Samaher Mously, director of marketing and communications at the event.

The Best Saudi Film Award and the Audience Award, each worth $50,000, will be given out by Film AlUla.

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