Cinema Nights: Shorts Films

The following short films are proceeded by a Q&A session with their all five directors.

Title: When the Light Shines (39 minutes)
Thirty years ago, H.H. Prince Faisal bin Abdullah sought out Saudi Arabia's creative minds to showcase the nation's heritage through art. His efforts led to the founding of the Layan Cultural Foundation, which now preserves this legacy for future generations in Saudi Arabia and has sponsored major exhibitions elsewhere, including a history of the horse at the British Museum, photographic displays of Saudi Arabia’s extraordinary archaeological heritage and works by new artists not previously seen outside the country.
Language: Arabic and English
Subtitle: English and Arabic


Title: Othman in the Vatican (17 minutes)
Othman Al-Khozaim, born in Al-Kharj, loved painting and drawing from his early childhood, a passion he was able to funnel into studying design. It was when he was awarded a scholarship to study in Rome, however, that his talent was able to flourish as he found ways to absorb the wealth of Western art history around him into his own heritage of Islamic art, particularly calligraphy. Back in Saudi Arabla, he worked in television while developing his own expression, becoming an internationally prominent artist. In 2019, he was invited to return to Italy to present Letters without Words, an exhibition of his work visited by an enthusiastic Pope Francis.
Language: Arabic and Italian
Subtitles: English and Arabic


Title: AlRoshan (Five minutes)
The history of the roshan, the intricate wooden screens that adorn courtyards or filter light through the windows of traditional Saudi Arabian homes, has always been both lengthy and rich in artisanal heritage. In this concise yet focused film, architectural expert Ahmed Sami Angawi depicts how the roshan regulates light and air, essentially functioning as a form of low-energy air conditioning, while also providing a means for discreet conversations with passersbys through its meticulously carved wooden latticework. Traditionally crafted from local and imported woods, as well as those salvaged from pilgrimage boats.
Language: Arabic
Subtitle: English


Title: Kemokazi (Eight minutes)
Kemo was born into a family of artists and photographers in Jeddah, but he feels torn between art forms and between the artist’s life and the kind of conventional life where he would just do a job. Do I pursue art and colours? Or does he pursue the renegade art of graffiti that he has discovered on the internet? Blue pill or red pill? he asks himself. Confused about his place in the world, he knows the only way  forward is to keep working.
Language: Arabic
Subtitle: English


Title: Rouge (12 minutes)
After a colleague tells her she has a year left at her job, Dana begins to worry she might lose her position as a news anchor. Down in the
dumps, she seeks advice from the women around her, who convince her she must get cosmetic surgery to compete with the other
presenters. As she struggles to decide, societal pressure pushes her to take the expensive cosmetic plunge. Life suddenly opens up for the
new-and-improved Dana, but then she begins to realize something has gone very, very wrong.
Language: Arabic
Subtitle: English

What will you learn?
The audience will get a chance to watch one of the movies displayed during the Red Sea Film Festival.

Who is it for?
This is for anyone interested in films.