JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Akio Fujimoto’s “Lost Land,” a feature shot entirely in the Rohingya language, won the Golden Yusr for best feature at the 2025 Red Sea International Film Festival, the event’s top prize. Fujimoto accepted the trophy from jury president Sean Baker during the Yusr Awards ceremony in Jeddah’s historic Al-Balad district.
The festival’s Silver Yusr went to Cherien Dabis for “All That’s Left Of You,” and Saudi director Shahad Ameen took the jury prize for “Hijra.” Ameer Fakher Eldin earned best director for “Yunan,” while Cyril Aris and Bane Fakih won best screenplay for “A Sad And Beautiful World.” Acting prizes went to George Khabbaz (“Yunan”) and Seo Su-Bin (“The World Of Love”).
Juliette Binoche’s “In-I In Motion” won best documentary, and Mohamed Siam’s “My Father’s Scent” took the audience award for best non-Saudi film. Said Zagha’s “Coyotes” won the Golden Yusr for best short film, and Zhang Zhongchen’s “Nighttime Sounds” received the cinematic achievement award. Idris Elba, Darren Aronofsky and Anthony Hopkins received honorary awards during the ceremony.
The fifth edition runs Dec. 4–13 and programmed over 100 films from over 70 countries, with a competition lineup built around titles from the Arab world, Asia and Africa. The festival operates with backing tied to Saudi Arabia’s culture and investment push, and it has become a key stop for studios, sellers and talent scouting the region’s expanding market.
Organizers have spent the week selling the festival as an industry engine, too. The Red Sea Souk project market drew 166 exhibitors across 90 stands, with attendance nearly doubling from 2024, according to the Red Sea Film Foundation. “The Souk has been a growing force in the global film market,” CEO Faisal Baltyuor said in a statement, pointing to the exhibitor growth and the mix of cash and in-kind awards meant to move projects from development through postproduction.
The festival also raised its international profile through a first formal collaboration with the Golden Globes, which honored Hend Sabry with the Omar Sharif Award and Alia Bhatt with the Horizon Award during a reception. Saudi Arabia’s campaign to court global entertainment continues to draw scrutiny; Human Rights Watch has said state-backed cultural events can serve to soften attention on crackdowns on speech and other rights.
