Quinta Brunson opts for Lebanese gown in Los Angeles

Quinta Brunson opts for Lebanese gown in Los Angeles
Quinta Brunson’s column gown hailed from Zuhair Murad’s Pre-Fall 2025 collection. (Getty Images)
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Updated 12 May 2025

Quinta Brunson opts for Lebanese gown in Los Angeles

Quinta Brunson opts for Lebanese gown in Los Angeles

DUBAI: Emmy-winning actress, comedian and writer Quinta Brunson showed off a gown by Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad at the 14th Annual Spring Break Gala by City Year Los Angeles.

Founded in 1988, City Year is a national service program that offers full-time community service. This weekend, the Los Angeles chapter held its annual gala, which was attended by the likes of US actress and film producer Viola Davis and “Abbott Elementary” sitcom creator Brunson.

Brunson’s column gown hailed from Zuhair Murad’s Pre-Fall 2025 collection. The look featured star-like embellishments across the torso, bust and cuffs.




Quinta Brunson’s column gown hailed from Zuhair Murad’s Pre-Fall 2025 collection. (Getty Images)

It is not the first time Brunson has worn a Lebanese creation on the red carpet — in September, she showed off a mermaid sculpted gown from Lebanese designer Georges Chakra’s Fall/Winter 2024-2025 couture collection at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards in Hollywood.

Meanwhile, Murad has continued to attract celebrity clientele to his eveningwear label.

In late April, Murad made a statement at the 2025 Time 100 Gala with US actress Blake Lively, as well as singer and songwriter Nicole Scherzinger, showcasing his creations on the red carpet.

Lively, who attended the event with her husband Ryan Reynolds, wore a pink taffeta off-the-shoulder gown featuring a corseted bodice and a train detail from Murad’s ready-to-wear Spring 2025 collection.

Scherzinger, meanwhile, chose a black off-the-shoulder sequin gown from Murad’s ready-to-wear Pre-Fall 2025 collection.

One month earlier, Murad unveiled his latest collaboration with Italian label Marina Rinaldi. Murad designed the brand’s Spring/Summer 2025 capsule collection inspired by China’s Tang dynasty. 

Drawing from the dynasty’s introduction of peony cultivation in imperial gardens, Murad infused the collection with images of the flower.

The collection focuses largely on eveningwear.

“Grand evening gowns go beyond the pure object, they are a way of investing in one’s personal history,” the designer said in a released statement. True to his signature style, the collection features hourglass silhouettes and intricate hand-embroidered details.

The collection’s color palette mirrors another element of Tang dynasty artistry — delicate chinaware. Soft shades of cream, sky blue, aquamarine green and pink infuse the flowing chiffon gowns, pleated bodices and long plisse skirts. 


Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan star in boxing film ‘Giant’ to open fifth edition of RSIFF

Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan star in boxing film ‘Giant’ to open fifth edition of RSIFF
Updated 05 November 2025

Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan star in boxing film ‘Giant’ to open fifth edition of RSIFF

Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan star in boxing film ‘Giant’ to open fifth edition of RSIFF
  • Shivani Pandya Malhotra: This year we have 15 films supported by the Red Sea Fund, with six official submissions for the Academy Awards
  • Fionnuala Halligan: This is a festival for everyone; it’s really inclusive. From films for families and children to mature themes, the lineup represents a global cinematic conversation

JEDDAH: British Indian filmmaker Rowan Athale’s “Giant,” the boxing biopic starring Amir El-Masry and Pierce Brosnan, is set to open the fifth edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival.

The festival held a press conference on Nov. 4 at Culture Square in Al-Balad to announce the lineup and major highlights of the event, which takes place from Dec. 4-13.

Returning with the theme “For the Love of Cinema,” this year’s edition promises more than 100 films from , the Arab world, Asia and Africa, alongside exclusive screenings, industry initiatives and a renewed focus on women filmmakers and global collaborations.

Faisal Baltyuor, the CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation, said: “Every year our priority is to connect with the public and inspire the next generation of filmmakers. This year we’ve introduced a dedicated space where filmmakers can meet audiences, along with a special area for children to experience cinema.

“The festival’s slogan truly reflects its foundation, nurturing passion and creativity from an early age. Through our new program, Rising Talents — The Voices of Tomorrow, we’re empowering young storytellers aged 10-16 across regions like Jazan, Makkah, Qassim and others. We’ve already received remarkable films, and it’s inspiring to see such quality and vision emerging from across the Kingdom.”

Shivani Pandya Malhotra, managing director of the RSIFF, expressed pride in the festival’s growth and impact, particularly through the Red Sea Souk, and said: “We’re really proud of what we’ve built in the market. The souk is now prominent regionally and globally. This year we have 15 films supported by the Red Sea Fund, with six official submissions for the Academy Awards. We’re also showcasing 37 women filmmakers from France to Taiwan and Palestine to Kenya, reflecting true diversity.”

She added that the souk was involved in 40 projects in development and production, and eight series in collaboration with Film Independent.

Fionnuala Halligan, director of international programs at the Red Sea Film Foundation, and who has joined the festival team for the first time this year, described the lineup as rich and wide-ranging.

She added: “This is a festival for everyone; it’s really inclusive. From films for families and children to mature themes, the lineup represents a global cinematic conversation.”

Among the key announcements, the RSIFF revealed its newly updated Red Sea Film Festival app, offering a seamless, eco-friendly digital experience.

The Arab Spectacular program will feature regional titles including “Palestine 36” by Annemarie Jacir; Haifaa Al-Mansour’s “Unidentified”; and “A Matter of Life and Death” by Anas Ba-Tahaf.

The International Spectacular will present global premieres such as “Couture” starring Angelina Jolie, “The Wizard of the Kremlin,” “Scarlet,” “Farruquito — A Flamenco Dynasty,” and “Desert Warrior,” which was filmed in .