CINEMA | FESTIVALS
Fionnuala Halligan & Marya Bahrawi. Photo: ScreenDaily
The Arab Stars of Tomorrow 2024 are Oumaima Barid, Maria Bahrawi, Mohsen Alkhalifi, Essam Omar, Zain Duraie.
The eighth edition of the successful MENA showcase was unveiled at Red Sea International Film Festival today; five young actors and film-makers from Jordan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Morocco have been featured.
The Arab Stars of Tomorrow initiative has been held in conjunction with Red Sea International Film Festival and Film AlUla, which hosted a photoshoot for the five selected talents, including at the first Unesco world heritage site in Saudi Arabia, the Hegra archaeological site (Al Hjr).
Screen International has named its Arab Stars of Tomorrow 2024, part of the magazine and website’s ‘Stars’ programme, which highlights new talent in cinema globally. The eighth edition of the successful MENA showcase was unveiled at Red Sea International Film Festival today; five young actors and film-makers from Jordan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Morocco have been featured.
The five are: Oumaima Barid: the Moroccan actress and star of Animalia (which premiered at Sundance 2023) and Cabo Negro (which launched at Karlovy Vary this year).
Maria Bahrawi: the young Saudi star of Cannes title Norah who is planning a Middle East centred-career
Mohsen Alkhalifi: the Yemeni producer whose two features have been the only two to ever represent his country at the Academy Awards (last year’s The Burdened; 10 Days Before the Wedding in 2018).
Essam Omar: the Egyptian actor known for TV who has made the crossover to film this year with Seeking Haven For Mr Rambo, which premiered at Venice.
Zain Duraie: the Jordanian writer/director who has just shot her first feature Sink in Amman, currently in post-production.
For the second year in succession, the Arab Stars of Tomorrow initiative has been held in conjunction with Red Sea International Film Festival and Film AlUla, which hosted a photoshoot for the five selected talents, including at the first Unesco world heritage site in Saudi Arabia, the Hegra archaeological site (Al Hjr). The Stars then travelled to the Red Sea’s iconic new home in Al-Balad district in Jeddah to attend the festival. (Red Sea IFF is Screen International’s headline partner for Arab Stars of Tomorrow, while Film AlUla is the supporting partner.)
Arab Stars of Tomorrow celebrates Arab talent from across the MENA region and highlights the hottest up-and-coming actors, writers and directors who are primed to make their mark in the international industry. The 2024 line-up was curated by Screen International executive editor, reviews and new talent Fionnuala Halligan, with Middle East correspondent Mona Sheded.
Stars of Tomorrow is an offshoot of Screen International’s UK and Ireland Stars of Tomorrow initiative, which has run continuously for 21 years and brought the spotlight to UK talent at the very start of their careers. Stars of Tomorrow has since spread its wings to include Spain Stars of Tomorrow, Scotland Rising Stars, Ireland Rising Stars and Arab Stars, which was hosted for the first time by Red Sea in 2022.
Arab Stars of Tomorrow alumni include Adam Bessa, Sofia Alaoui, Mounia Akl and Alaa Eddine Aljem.
Redacción TVMAS