Ithra announces the winner of its 50,000 SAR Film Fund Development Award

Ithra announces the winner of its 50,000 SAR Film Fund Development Award during the Red Sea International Film Festival

• The winning project was selected by a distinguished three-member jury of regional and international film professionals for its artistic strength and authentic Saudi storytelling.
• Ithra’s wider contributions to RSIFF 2025 included talks, filmmaker development sessions, one-on-one consultations, and Ithra-supported films Hijra and Irtizaz competing in this year’s festival.

DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA, 15 December 2025 - The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) has announced Green Corpse by Khalid Zidan as the winner of the 50,000 SAR Ithra Film Fund Development Award at Red Sea Film Souk Production Market’s Closing Ceremony, part of the Red Sea International Film Festival held annually in Jeddah. Ithra was present at the Souk Production Market throughout the Festival (4-13 December) with a public booth welcoming fruitful exchange and engagement with film industry professionals. 

The Ithra Film Fund Development Award was presented on 10 December and recognizes excellence in the development of Saudi feature-film projects that reflect local experiences and perspectives. The winning project was selected from the official Saudi film projects participating in the Red Sea Souk Production Market. Green Corpse, inspired by true events in Jazan in 2017, follows Malek, a young sprinter whose ambitions collide with family pressures and a hidden criminal world. The film’s selection reflects its narrative strength, emotional depth and its distinct portrayal of life in southern Saudi Arabia.

The winner was chosen by a three-person jury made up of regional and international film professionals:

• Amjad Abu Alala (Jury Head), Director and Producer
• Sara Balghonaim, Filmmaker and Producer
• Mahmoud Ezzat, Screenwriter

Besides being partner and annual host of the Saudi Film Festival, which acts as a platform for Saudi filmmakers to learn and explore their passion for film, Ithra supports Saudi filmmakers through the Ithra Film Fund, which provides development financing, creative guidance and year-round opportunities for Saudi talent to develop and share their stories. Since 2018, Ithra has produced 37 films that have participated in more than 100 festivals worldwide and earned over 15 regional and international awards. 

Feras Almusharrie, Head of the Ithra Film Fund, said: “At Ithra, we are proud to support the growth of Saudi cinema by creating development and production opportunities for emerging talent. Green Corpse stood out for its compelling narrative, its grounded portrayal of life in Jazan and its honest exploration of family responsibility and personal ambition. This year’s award reflects the strength of creative ambition driving Saudi filmmakers today. It is an honor to recognize a filmmaker whose vision contributes to the dynamic storytelling shaping the Kingdom’s film industry.”

Alongside the Ithra Film Fund Development Award, Ithra took part in festival programming, including filmmaker consultations, industry discussions and the “Meet the Saudi Funders” session, where Feras Almusharrie outlined Ithra’s development models and talent pathways. In addition, Almusharrie led a talk on the documentary film Anti-Cinema with Ali Saeed, director of the film, which recently received the Jury Award at the Cairo International Film Festival.