JEDDAH: A record 12 films produced by the Red Sea Film Foundation have entered the race for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards, representing 12 countries across Saudi Arabia, the Arab world, Africa and Asia.
Eleven of the films have been selected as official submissions by their respective countries, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Tuesday.
They are A Matter of Life and Death, Roqia, Soumsoum, the Night of the Stars, The Stories, Guria, Four Seasons in Java, Sink, Strawberries, Ben’Imana, We Are All Strangers, and The Other Side of the Sun.
Joining them is Angh, which won the Platform Award at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival. Under new rules introduced by the Academy for the 99th Awards, winners of the Platform Award and a select group of other international film festival prizes are eligible to submit their films directly for consideration in the category.
سجّلت مؤسسة البحر الأحمر السينمائي حضورًا قياسيًا في سباق جوائز الأوسكار بمشاركة 12 فيلمًا مدعومًا، في سباق جائزة أفضل فيلم دولي في الدورة الـ99 من جوائز الأوسكار، تمثل اثني عشر بلدًا تمتد من المملكة العربية السعودية والعالم العربي إلى أفريقيا وآسيا.
— السعودية مباشر (@SaudiMubasher) October 20, 2026
CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation Faisal Baltyuor said: The Red Sea Fund backs a broad slate of films each year, and for twelve of them to reach the Oscars race is an extraordinary moment of pride for the Red Sea Film Foundation.
For eleven, being chosen by their countries as the official submission is in itself a significant recognition of the filmmakers and their work, and a testament to the talent and the stories emerging from Saudi Arabia, the Arab world, Africa and Asia.
“It reflects the growing impact of our commitment to empowering filmmakers and championing their creative visions, from the earliest stages of development through to the international stage,” he said.
Faisal Baltyuor said it has been a privilege to be part of their journeys, and we wish them every success as they continue in the Academy Awards race.”
The achievement marks a successful year for films supported by the Red Sea Film Foundation at major international festivals, including Cannes, Venice and Toronto.
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At the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the Foundation had its largest-ever presence, with eight supported films featured in the programme, culminating in Angh winning the Platform Award. Earlier in the year, Ben’Imana, now Rwanda’s official submission for the Oscars, won the Caméra d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
The shortlist for Best International Feature Film will be announced on December 15, 2026, followed by the nominations on January 21, 2027. The 99th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on March 14, 2027.
