Red Sea Labs in Saudi Arabia is presently accepting applications for the fifth iteration of The Lodge, a long-term residency program supported by Film AlUla and carried out in association with Torino FilmLab. A significant shift in this edition is the inclusion of applications from Asia, indicating a substantial increase in the program's outreach for the 2024 class.
This unique opportunity is accessible to teams of filmmakers and producers hailing from Saudi Arabia, the Arab region, Africa, and now Asia. In an official statement, Shivani Pandya, the Managing Director of the Red Sea Film Foundation, expressed enthusiasm about the program's growth. She mentioned, "Continuing our journey of expanding and evolving the Red Sea Foundation’s programs, we are pleased to announce the first expansion of one of our industry programs, the Lodge, as it broadens its offerings to promising cinematic voices from Asia." Pandya emphasized the strategic significance of this move, aiming to promote cross-cultural dialogue, expand the global cinema scene, and increase the exposure of the film industry globally.
Head of The Red Sea Labs Ryan Ashore underlined The Lodge's ongoing dedication to supporting up-and-coming filmmakers and enhancing and broadening the international film landscape. He eagerly anticipated the integration of new talents from Asia into the program, and encouraging cross-border collaborative efforts during the retreat in Alula.
The initiative plans to select sixteen projects for development opportunities in the feature film domain. Submissions for this promising opportunity are welcome until January 7, 2024, 11:59 pm KSA time. All workshops in 2024 will be conducted in person, commencing with a preliminary workshop for Saudi teams. The comprehensive training offered throughout the workshops covers film script development, production aspects, including funding, sales, and marketing. The culmination of the program involves Lodge Filmmakers presenting their refined projects at the Red Sea Souk during the 4th Edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival in 2024, contributing to a dynamic and globally interconnected cinematic landscape.
