THE RED SEA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ADDS THIERRY FRÉMAUX’S LUMIÈRE: LE CINEMA TO INTERNATIONAL SPECTACULAR LINE-UP

– The Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF) has unveiled an exciting addition to
its International Spectacular programme: LUMIÈRE: LE CINEMA by Thierry Frémaux, Director of the Lumière
Institute in Lyon and General Delegate of the Festival de Cannes. This stunning sequel to LUMIÈRE! THE
ADVENTURE BEGINS, which premiered at the festival’s inaugural edition, delves into the birth of cinema, offering a
treasure trove of over 100 newly restored films. A must-see for cinema lovers, LUMIÈRE: LE CINEMA will be
presented in-person by Frémaux himself, offering audiences an unparalleled journey through the early days of
celluloid
Joining the stellar International Spectacular line-up are six highly anticipated titles, including NAPOLI-NEW YORK, a
poignant new work from Academy Award-winning director Gabriele Salvatores, starring Pierfrancesco Favino. Based
on a story idea by Federico Fellini, the film tells the story of two children who stow away on a boat bound for New
York after World War II. Also featured is 40 ACRES by R.T. Thorne, starring Danielle Deadwyler as a determined
mother protecting her family from the ravages of climate change. MARIA by Pablo Larraín, WE LIVE IN TIME by
John Crowley, and KRAVEN THE HUNTER by J.C. Chandor round out the International Spectacular section, each
offering a unique cinematic experience
Shivani Pandya Malhotra, RSIFF’s Managing Director, said: “We are honoured to host LUMIÈRE: LE CINEMA at the
RSIFF. This film is a vital testament to the foundation of all modern audiovisual content, showcasing the early
pioneers who revolutionized visual storytelling. Thierry Frémaux’s insights into cinema history are always invaluable
and we are thrilled to share this with our audiences
In addition to the International Spectacular programme, RSIFF has added six new Festival Favourites, including the
world premiere of Max Shiskin’s post-apocalyptic action film THE LAST RONIN. Set in a desolate future ravaged by
nuclear war, the film follows a lone warrior escorting a wayward teenage girl across a dangerous wasteland. The Last
Ronin promises a gripping journey through a devastated world, where survival is the ultimate goal
The Festival Favourites programme celebrates cultural diversity, offering a platform for award-winning films from all
corners of the globe. The selection highlights innovative storytelling, breathtaking cinematography, and diverse
perspectives. Among the new titles are two black comedies: DREAMING OF LIONS by Paolo Marinou Blanco, a

darkly comic tale of a terminally ill woman’s attempts to end her suffering, and TASTE THE REVOLUTION by Daniel
Klein, a mockumentary featuring an unforgettable performance by Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali as a
revolutionary leader challenging capitalism
Two exceptional films from Asia join the line-up: CROCODILE TEARS by Indonesian director Tumpal Tampubolon
which explores a young man’s strained relationship with his controlling mother, and SOMEBODY by South Korean
directors Yeo-Jung Kim and Jeong-Chan Lee, a psychological thriller about a swimming instructor whose child’s
violent tendencies take a dark turn
The festival also celebrates African cinema with the return of Jean Luc-Herbulot, whose new film ZERO is a high
octane action thriller set in Dakar, Senegal. The film follows two Americans who wake up to find bombs strapped totheir chests and only ten hours to unravel the mystery of their predicament

INTERNATIONAL SPECTACULAR

LUMIÈRE: LE CINEMA
Thierry Frémaux (France)
The sequel to LUMIÈRE! THE ADVENTURE BEGINS sees Thierry Frémaux introduce another hundred Lumière
films, all immaculately restored, recounting the early history of cinema

FESTIVAL FAVOURITES

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CROCODILE TEARS
Tumpal Tampubolon (Indonesia)
On a Crocodile Farm in West Java, Indonesia, a young boy reaches puberty, and his problems with his mother start
Johan, a young man tethered to his mother, Mama, by invisible but unbreakable chains, dreams of freedom yet
remains under her suffocating grip. Isolated from the world, their life on the farm is a tense routine of survival and
emotional manipulation, disrupted only when a young woman’s arrival threatens the delicate balance

DREAMING OF LIONS
Paulo Marinou-Bianco (Portugal, Spain, Brazil)
This absurdist tragicomedy from Greek-Portuguese director Paulo Marinou-Blanco introduces us to Gilda, a
terminally ill woman whose dying wish is for her painful existence to stop as quickly and peacefully as possible. When
her attempts at ending her life fail, she seeks professional help and discovers the Joy Transition International
However, when she finds out that the organisation is not what it seems, she and her new beau decide to take matters
into their own hands with heartwarming results

SOMEBODY
Yeo-Jung Kim, Jeong-Chan Lee (South Korea)
This exceptional psychological thriller from South Korea poses dark questions about the complex relationship
between mothers and daughters. Swimming instructor Young-eun (Kwak Sun-young) is disturbed and embarrassed
by the increasingly violent behaviour of her six-year-old daughter So-hyun. When Young-eun realises that she cannot
change her daughter's disposition she decides to take matters into her own hands

TASTE THE REVOLUTION
Daniel Klein (USA)
For nearly 25 years one of Oscar winner's Mahershala Ali's earliest, craziest and most brilliant performances has
been hiding in a vault. Director Daniel Klein shot a film in the year 2000 about a group of revolutionaries putting on a
world summit to counter political apathy and encourage America to stand up to capitalism but then world events got
in the way and the film vanished. Now, after a call from Ali, who plays a revolutionary leader, the director has gone
back over the footage and reimagined the film as a mockumentary

THE LAST RONIN
Maksim Shishkin (Russia)
Haunted by the ghosts of the past, lone traveller Ronin wanders the post-apocalyptic wastelands in search of his
father &39;s killer. The devastation caused by climate change led to a global nuclear war, destroying civilisation as we
know it: lands are scorched and cities destroyed. Electrical equipment no longer works and gasoline has long lost the
properties that made it the world's greatest resource. The main currency in this new world is AK47 cartridges

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ZERO
Jean Luc Herbulot (Senegal, USA)
In the bustling heart of Dakar, Senegal, two white Americans wake to a nightmare: bombs strapped to their chests
and they only have ten hours before they explode. With no idea who’s behind it, their only hope for survival is to listen
to the instructions of a mysterious voice on the phone, forcing them to complete a series of bizarre and perilous tasks
across the city. As they race against time in this twisted scavenger hunt, the vibrant streets of Dakar become a high
stakes labyrinth of survival

The Festival is supported by Principal Sponsors: Visit Saudi, MBC, and Genesis Mohamad Yusuf AlNaghi; Official
Sponsors: Film AlUla, SRMG, Chopard, SAUDIA, and TikTok; Strategic Sponsors of the Red Sea Souk: NEOM and
Cultural Development Fund; and Support Sponsors Nova, Mermaid and Telfaz