Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — The Red Sea International Film Festival on Monday unveiled the official poster of its inaugural edition featuring an image shot by Syrian-born artist Osama Esid of Saudi ballerina Samira Alkhamis emerging from the sea, indicative of the wave of change in the region, and the opportunities for a new generation of filmmakers in Saudi Arabia.

The festival will be inaugurated on March 12 and will continue till March 21.

In creating the poster, Esid employed the wet-collodion process, a traditional photography technique invented in 1851, which he then painted in vibrant color tints, bringing the black and white photography vividly to life. The clash of modern and traditional approaches epitomizing the festival's commitment to heritage and innovation, drawing on the past as the foundations of the future.

The image is a collaboration between three distinctive Arab artists, Omani artist and illustrator Chndy's graphic design complementing the figure of Alkhamis in Esid's bold design. Doubled and reflected, the poster is indicative of the exchange that is central to the festival's mission, offering multiple perspectives and new ways of looking.