Oscar-winning Anora director Sean Baker is looking to encourage “cultural exchange” at Red Sea International Film Festival, where he will preside over the features competition jury.
The US filmmaker, whose features portray characters from underrepresented and marginalised subcultures, said he was surprised to have been approached by the festival but felt it showed how attitudes are changing in Saudi Arabia.
“I honestly wasn’t sure Red Sea would be interested in someone like me since very few of my films have been shown in the region, but it definitely shows change in terms of embracing different ways of thinking and ideologies,” Baker told Screen on the eve of the festival.
“There won’t be change overnight but it means a lot to me that the festival is embracing ideas that would have been looked down upon the past. For me, it’s always been about cultural exchange and a festival like this can encourage discussion and an exchange of ideas. This is a step forward.”
Baker will head a jury that comprises acclaimed Lebanese writer-director Nadine Labaki, Oscar-winning UK actor and filmmaker Riz Ahmed, UK actress Naomie Harris and Ukrainian French actress Olga Kurylenko.
“We’ll be looking for something special,” said Baker of evaluating the 16 titles in competition. “We want to see how cinema is evolving and if a filmmaker provides something that we haven’t seen before, that’s the ultimate.”
It marks the first visit to the region for the US director, who is keen to learn more about the development of the local industry. “It feels like the Saudi film industry is in its infancy and that’s a really exciting thing,” said Baker. “It’s like being present in the early part of the 20th century and watching Hollywood emerge.
“Red Sea has been wonderful when it comes to giving a voice to young and emerging filmmakers from the region so I’m look forward to seeing these films and celebrating them.”
He added that his attendance marks a final break before beginning his next project early next year, details of which have yet to be disclosed. Asked if a script has been written, Baker tapped his head and said: “It’s all here. It’s just not yet on paper. But we already know what we’re doing and it’s very much in the same wheelhouse as my last two films. We’ll be going into hard prep in January.”
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