Vox Cinemas unveils Arabic film slate at Red Sea International Film Festival

Middle East exhibitor Vox Cinemas revealed its first slate of original Arabic films at Red Sea International Film Festival on Friday. The second edition of Red Sea International Film Festival is being held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and will run until December 10, 2022. 

This comes in line with its commitment, announced last year, wherein the company promised to make 25 films out of the region in a five year period.

According to a report by Variety, the line up comprises of films directed by both Arab newcomers and established personalities. These include Dubai-based Iraqi director Yasir Al Yasiri's “HWJN", due for theatrical release across the Middle East next year. Vox and Image Nation have teamed up with Saudi-owned MBC Studios. Previously, Vox, Image Nation, and MBC Studios had also teamed up for “King of the Ring,” screening at the festival. 

Egyptian commercials director Omar Hilal is making his directorial debut with dramedy “Voy! Voy! Voy!”. The film will release in 2023. A collaboration between Vox Cinemas, Cairo-based Film Clinic, and Image Nation, Abu Dhabi, the film is set to feature Nelly Karim, Mohamed Farrag and Bayoumi Fouad. Along with them, we will see rising talents Taha Desouky, Amgad El Hagar, and Mohamed Abdel Azeem.

Vox is also collaborating with Sirb Productions, the sister company of Saudi Arabia’s Myrkott animation studio. Together, they are producing a comedy, live-action film. Another one in the line up is director Hadi El Bagoury's unspecified Egyptian action-comedy.

Further, Vox has also collaborated with Lebanese company Imagic Group’s The Big Picture Studios on its debut feature film. The film's script comes from a writers’ workshop hosted by Vox Cinemas with new voices from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon.

Ignace Lahoud, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Leisure (MAF), Entertainment and Cinemas, which operates Vox, said, "It is an exciting time for Arabic film, which has been gaining plaudits and audiences in the region and beyond–and tends to outperform foreign films."

“Distinctly local productions, particularly in a nascent market like Saudi Arabia, offers an untapped and real opportunity," he added.