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Red Sea Reveals Official Competition Films
The line up includes Saudi Arabia’s 2025 Academy Award submission 'Hijra' by Shahad Ameen and Abu Bakr Shawky's highly anticipated Egyptian film 'Stories'.
Nov 04, 2025
Red Sea International Film Festival announces 16 films competing in its 2025 Red Sea Competition, running from December 4th to 13th. Showcasing narrative, documentary, and animation works from Asia, Africa, and the Arab world, the lineup will vie for the coveted Yusr Awards, judged by an international jury.
A Sad and Beautiful World
by Cyril Aris
A sweeping tale of two Beirut children bound by tragedy and fate. Reunited 24 years after their childhood bond was broken, Nino’s optimism and Yasmina’s disillusionment collide in a tender story of love, destiny, and the healing beauty found in connection.
Allah is Not Obliged
by Zaven Najjar
Adapted from Ahmadou Kourouma’s novel, this animated odyssey follows Birahima, a 10-year-old orphan swept into the chaos of civil war. Told with dark humour and unflinching honesty, it chronicles childhood lost, survival, superstition and the hunger for freedom.
All That's Left of You
by Cherien Dabis
A multi-generational Palestinian family drama spanning 1948 to 2022, tracing loss, exile, love and resilience through Noor, his mother Hanan, and the legacy of the Nakba. A moving portrait of heritage, hope, and the ties that bind fathers and sons.
Black Rabbit, White Rabbit
by Shahram Mokri
A playful, multilayered mystery where films nest inside films. As Sarah recovers from a strange car crash, actors, armourers and filmmakers collide in looping timelines, magical realism and dark humour. Tajikistan’s Oscar entry is a clever puzzle of fate and illusion.
Hijra
by Shahad Ameen
A grandmother and her granddaughters travel from Taif to Mecca, until the eldest disappears. Their search becomes an emotional and spiritual journey through Saudi womanhood, heritage, and faith, set against the backdrop of Hajj and filmed across eight cities.
Nighttime Sounds
by Zhang Zhongchen
A lyrical tale of women in rural China and the long echoes of unspoken pain. When young Qing meets a ghostly child searching for her mother, dreams and memory entwine, revealing generations of longing, silence and the desire for recognition.
Lost Land
by Akio Fujimoto
The first Rohingya-language feature follows two young siblings fleeing Myanmar in search of safety. With non-professional actors and restrained realism, Lost Land is a haunting, humane journey through displacement, fear and the fragile hope of finding home.
Roqia
by Yanis Koussim
After a 1993 car crash leaves Ahmed amnesiac, he returns to a village thick with secrets, whispers and inexplicable violence. Mirroring the story of an ageing exorcist with Alzheimer’s, Roqia weaves memory, mysticism and dread into an eerie, slow-burn mystery.
Barni
by Mohammed Sheikh
After nine-year-old Barni vanishes during a village wedding, her sister Amina and friends set off for the city to find her. A heartfelt journey of courage and loyalty, offering a rare, authentic window into Somali life and children’s resilience.
The Stories
by Abu Bakr Shawky
A tender, decades-spanning friendship grows between Egyptian pianist Ahmed and his Austrian pen-pal Liz. Set against the shifting tides of 1967 and beyond, it’s a nostalgic, heartfelt tribute to ambition, connection and a generation shaped by change.
Sink
by Zain Duraie
Behind the façade of a perfect life, Nadia battles emotional collapse and her teenage son’s escalating mental health struggles. A tense, intimate portrait of motherhood, identity and unconditional love under pressure.
The World of Love
by Yoon Ga-Eun
A gentle, resonant portrait of a teenager rebuilding after trauma. Jooin appears confident but carries deep wounds, and through quiet moments with her mother she slowly reclaims her sense of self. A subtle, honest exploration of healing and resilience.
Truck Mama
by Zippy Nyaruri
Eva, a Kenyan truck driver and single mother, navigates perilous routes, loneliness and prejudice to support her family. With sweeping landscapes and intimate access, Truck Mama celebrates courage, grit and the mothers who power through impossible odds.
Two Seasons, Two Strangers
by Sho Miyake
A creatively stalled Korean writer in Japan imagines a seaside tale that begins to mirror her own emotional journey. Through quiet encounters and understated beauty, the film traces unexpected bonds, self-renewal and the meaning found in life’s softest moments.
Yunan
by Ameer Fakher Eldin
Munir retreats to a remote island to face a painful decision, meeting a mysterious woman and her son who slowly reopen his will to live. A visual fable of alienation, memory, and the struggle to reclaim oneself in the shadow of loss.
Irkalla: Gilgamesh’s Dream
by Mohamed Jabarah Al-Daradji
In Baghdad’s harsh streets, young dreamer Chum-Chum is inspired by the legend of Gilgamesh — even as his friend Moody is drawn into militia violence. A gripping blend of myth and modern reality, asking whether imagination can rescue a child from war’s brutality.
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