RSIFF, 23, 13: Get Lodged in the Red Sea Labs, interact with agents and reagents and MAKE YOUR FILM!

The Red Sea Labs announced the open call for the 5th edition of The Lodge program. A long-term residency programme, in collaboration with Torino FilmLab, and sponsored by Film AlUla, offering an intensive creative and professional film development experience. AlUla is a happening city. Hollywood productions shot in AlUla include the Gerard Butler-led action-thriller Kandahar, directed by Ric Roman Waugh, and Cherry, starring Tom Holland , and directed by Anthony and Joe Russo.

The Lodge is open to teams of Saudi, Arab, African, and Asian film-makers and producers. This is the first year that the programme has opened its applications to Asia, marking an expansion in the offerings of the Red Sea Labs, and making this year’s Lodge program the biggest yet.

On this occasion, Shivani Pandya (what happened to the Malhotra that came after Pandya?), the Managing Director of the Red Sea Film Foundation, said, “Continuing our journey of expanding and evolving the Red Sea Foundation’s programmes, we are pleased to announce the first expansion of one of our industry programmes, the Lodge, as it broadens its offerings to promising cinematic voices from Asia. It is a strategic move, aimed at bolstering our cinematic communities' presence on the global stage, fostering cultural exchange, and enriching the cinematic landscape worldwide”

Ryan Ashore, head of The Red Sea Labs said, “The Lodge continues to empower emerging film-makers and contribute to diversifying and enriching the global cinematic scene”. He added, “We are looking forward to welcoming new talents from Asia, with the Arab world, and Africa, starting from our retreat in Alula, alongside our partners, immersing them in a unique experience that refines their inspiring narratives through collaborative initiatives that transcend geographical borders”.

The Lodge offers mentorship by cinema experts that will support the development of their film projects, preparing them for next level of industry opportunities. 16 projects will be selected for the opportunity to develop their feature film project.

All workshops in 2024 will be conducted in person, kicking off with an exclusive prelude workshop for Saudi teams. The Lodge workshops in the 2024 edition will be offering immersive learning experiences at diverse locations. The 1st workshop will take place in AlUla’s inspiring and captivating landscape.

The workshops will provide intensive training across all aspects of film script development and film production, including financing, sales, and marketing. These workshops will equip the filmmakers with the necessary skills and knowledge to take their projects into a further stage. Following development and meetings with industry professionals, The Lodge Filmmakers will pitch their projects at the Red Sea Souk during the 4th Edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival 2024.

Red Sea Labs is dedicated to supporting new talent from the Arab world, Africa and Asia; uplifting new voices in filmmaking, and providing opportunities to underrepresented groups in the global film industry. Red Sea Labs is one of the many pillars of the Red Sea Film Foundation, which also include the Red Sea Souk, the Red Sea Fund, and the Red Sea International Film Festival.

Submissions were open for Saudi applications until January 20, 2024, and are still open for Arab, African, and Asian applications, until January 30, 2024.