黑料社区

JEDDAH: The French Consulate in Jeddah hosted several young 黑料社区 creators for a preparatory meeting on Tuesday before the fifth 48Hr Film Challenge, which is a collaboration between the Red Sea Film Foundation, Alliance Francaise and Institut Francais.

The 48Hr Film Challenge was set up for young, aspiring citizens and foreigner resident in the country to create a short film in just two days, which takes place on Wednesday and Thursday.

The evening brought together mentors, industry figures and participants to focus on storytelling and collaboration.

Zain Zedan, Red Sea Souk manager at the RSFF, said that interest in the challenge continues to grow. There were 70 applicants for 14 team spots this year.

鈥淭he quality of work this year was very high,鈥� she told Arab News.

The challenge gives participants the chance to gain guidance from 黑料社区 and French mentors through workshops and roundtable sessions.

The program will culminate on Thursday with screenings and the announcement of two winners who will attend a residency in France in early 2026.

French Consul General Mohammed Nehad told Arab News the initiative was designed to nurture emerging filmmakers.

鈥淲e focus on emerging talent rather than seasoned professionals, as they represent the future and bring fresh vision and creativity, he said. 鈥淏y pairing them with experienced mentors from France and 黑料社区, we aim to foster collaboration and growth.鈥�

鈥淔rance has always been a faithful partner of 黑料社区 in developing the cinema industry, which is why we launched the 48Hr Film Challenge for young filmmakers,鈥� he added.

Workshops covered acting, directing, production, distribution and post-production.

Actress, filmmaker and mentor Summer Shesha said she urged participants to 鈥渢rust their instincts, be present and spontaneous,鈥� and to use the 48-hour time limit as a creative spark rather than a constraint.

鈥淚 believe challenges like this mirror the real industry, where you have to be quick, decisive, collaborative, communicative, and resourceful, and graceful under pressure,鈥� she said.

鈥淲e are in a hard industry that requires softness, flexibility, and a thick skin and braveness at the same time.鈥�

Moroccan director and actor Ayoub Layoussif co-led the acting and directing workshops, guiding participants through masterclasses, exercises and improvisation.

He said the compressed timeline forces young filmmakers to adapt quickly, a skill essential for future careers.

鈥淐hallenges like this teach emerging filmmakers to adapt, stay focused, work with actors, producers, and technicians, pitch their movies, and above all, nurture creativity and passion for cinema,鈥� he added.

For Camille Varenne, programmer at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, the visit to 黑料社区 offered a chance to discover new voices.

鈥淭he passion of the participants grows, and the quality of the movies is getting better every year. It鈥檚 a privilege to be here, to meet new talents, to meet the new generation of Saudi filmmakers, and understand their context.

鈥淭his allows me to defend Saudi films in my festival because I can give colleagues the background of the movies and the filmmaker,鈥� she said.

The festival selects just 160 titles out of around 8,000 submissions annually, she said.

Only two Saudi films have made the cut so far: 鈥淚rtidad鈥� by Mohamed Al-Hamoud, founder of Telfaz11, and 鈥淢era, Mera, Mera,鈥� directed by Khaled Zidan, an alumni of the first 48-hour challenge.

鈥淭his festival is a bridge to the Saudi cinema industry, and for me, it鈥檚 important for young filmmakers to tell their own story, rooted in their culture, and project themselves internationally,鈥� she added.

Larry Lamartiniere, managing director of Alliance Fran莽aise in Jeddah, described the event as a part of the group鈥檚 broader commitment to cultural exchange.

鈥淐inema holds a central place in French culture. It is a living art form, a mirror of society, and a powerful medium for dialogue between people.

鈥淗osting this event in Jeddah is a shared celebration of the power of storytelling and the richness of our interconnected imaginations,鈥� he said.