JEDDAH: A record eight films supported by the Red Sea Film Foundation are featured at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), taking place from 10 to 20 September 2026, marking the foundation’s largest presence at the festival to date.
Seven of the films have been selected for TIFF’s Centrepiece programme, while Angh, directed by Theja Rio and supported by the Red Sea Fund, has been selected for the Platform programme, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Thursday.
The Foundation will also take part in the inaugural edition of TIFF: The Market, the Festival’s first official content market, while Holly Daniel, Director of the Red Sea Souk, joins The Summit — extending the Foundation’s presence in Toronto across both the Festival and its international industry programme.
من البحر الأحمر إلى تورونتو. 🎬🇨🇦
تسجّل مؤسسة البحر الأحمر السينمائي هذا العام أكبر حضور لها حتى الآن في مهرجان تورونتو السينمائي الدولي، بمشاركة قياسية تشمل ثمانية أفلام مدعومة من المؤسسة؛ سبعة منها تُعرض ضمن برنامج «سنتر بيس»، وفيلم ضمن قسم «بلاتفورم»، مواصلةً رحلتها إلى جمهور… pic.twitter.com/LUOvCyDjtV
— RedSeaFilm (@RedSeaFilm) September 10, 2026
The eight films, championed through the Red Sea Fund and Red Sea Souk, are “A Girl Unknown”, “Angh”, “Ben’Imana”, “Conversation with the Sea”, “Four Seasons in Java”, “Soumsoum, the Night of the Stars”, “The Violinist”, and “We Are All Strangers”.
TIFF bringing together global film, television and innovation industries
The TIFF: The Market, a seven-day international marketplace, is taking place from 10 to 16 September at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and is bringing together the global film, television and innovation industries.
The market connects filmmakers, producers, buyers, sales agents, financiers, distributors, platforms and other industry leaders to forge partnerships and advance projects.
CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation Faisal Baltyuor said: “This record presence at TIFF is an important milestone for the foundation and, above all, a reflection of the extraordinary filmmakers and projects we have had the privilege to support.”
“Seeing eight films from across our ecosystem reach audiences in Toronto — and joining the inaugural TIFF: The Market — demonstrates the value of sustained pathways that carry filmmakers from development and financing through to international exhibition,” he said.
Red Sea Film Foundation a Saudi initiative
The Red Sea Film Foundation is a Saudi initiative dedicated to supporting the growth of the film industry in Saudi Arabia and the wider Arab world, Africa and Asia. Through funding, training and industry programmes, the foundation supports emerging filmmakers and helps bring regional stories to international audiences.
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is one of the world’s leading film festivals, held annually in Toronto, Canada. Founded in 1976, TIFF showcases a diverse selection of international films and serves as an important platform for filmmakers, industry professionals, and emerging talent.
