Latest news with #ZhannatAlshanova
Broadcast Pro
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Red Sea Film Foundation-backed films to premiere at Locarno Film Festival
The Red Sea Film Foundation supported these projects through its Red Sea Fund and Red Sea Souk initiatives. The 78th Locarno Film Festival, which will take place from August 6 to 16, 2025, has selected three films supported by the Red Sea Film Foundation. The selected titles, Irkalla – Gilgamesh's Dream by Iraqi director Mohamed Al-Daradji, Becoming by Kazakh filmmaker Zhannat Alshanova and Exile by Tunisian director Mehdi Hmili, showcase bold storytelling from emerging voices across the Arab world and beyond. Each film received backing through the Red Sea Fund or the Red Sea Souk, initiatives created by the foundation to foster innovative, diverse narratives in global cinema. Irkalla – Gilgamesh's Dream reimagines the ancient Mesopotamian epic through a modern lens, following a diabetic street child who urges his fierce companion Gilgamesh to take him to the mythical underworld, Arkala. Becoming explores themes of identity and self-discovery in contemporary Kazakhstan, tracing a young woman's struggle for independence under the direction of London-based filmmaker Alshanova. In Exile, Hmili paints a haunting picture of grief and resilience set inside Tunisia's largest steel factory, where four workers grappling with physical and mental trauma are bound together by the mysterious disappearance of a colleague. The Red Sea Film Foundation said that they are proud in supporting these projects and hailed their inclusion at Locarno as a major achievement for regional cinema and emerging talent.
Arab News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Red Sea-backed films set to shine at 2025 Locarno Film Festival
DUBAI: Three films supported by the Red Sea Film Foundation will feature at this year's Locarno Film Festival, which takes place in Switzerland from Aug. 6-16. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ Among the 2025 lineup are 'Irkalla – Gilgamesh's Dream' by Iraqi filmmaker Mohamed Al-Daradji, 'Becoming' by Kazakh director Zhannat Alshanova, and 'Exile' from Tunisian filmmaker Mehdi Hmili. A post shared by Red Sea Film Foundation (@redseafilm) Each was backed by the foundation through either the Red Sea Fund or the Red Sea Souk, two initiatives designed to champion bold new voices from the Arab world and beyond. 'Irkalla – Gilgamesh's Dream' offers a reimagining of the Epic of Gilgamesh set against a haunting contemporary backdrop. The film follows a street kid with diabetes as he tries to persuade his tough best friend, the legendary Gilgamesh, to take him to the underworld Arkala. 'Becoming' by Alshanova, a London-based writer/director from Kazakhstan, follows a young woman grappling with identity and independence in modern-day Kazakhstan. 'Exile,' from Hmili, is a powerful portrait of displacement and belonging. In the biggest steel factory of Tunisia, four workers suffering from psychological and physical disorders are haunted by the loss of their colleague. In an atmosphere of social and political tension, their struggle will help them overcome their pain. The Red Sea Film Foundation said it was 'proud to have supported these exceptional projects' and celebrated their selection as a milestone moment for regional cinema.
