RED SEA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

FIFTH EDITION · HISTORIC JEDDAH · 2025

PUBLIC RELATIONS SENIOR ANALYST

RED SEA FILM FOUNDATION

CASE INDEX

Responsibilities & Scope

I undertake an integrated scope of public relations and corporate communications responsibilities at the Red Sea Film Foundation and the Red Sea International Film Festival, spanning strategic planning and media content development through partnership management, on-ground operations, risk management, and operational governance.

Photographers and camera operators gather at the Red Sea Film Festival press line.

Managing the full cycle of preparing press releases and media materials in Arabic and English, from gathering information and preparing briefings, through drafting, editing, and review, to approval and targeted distribution to local, regional, and international media, in coordination with relevant departments and public relations agencies.
Planning and organizing media operations surrounding the red carpet and press office, including press areas, permits, access routes, schedules, talent and media lists, while coordinating on-ground work across operations, security, and guest relations teams to ensure smooth movement and efficient coverage.
Managing media accreditation and invitation processes, and building categorized databases of journalists and media organizations by market, specialization, geography, and level of influence, while linking access and coverage opportunities to the festival’s priorities and media objectives.
Planning and managing press junkets and media interviews, coordinating talent and film participation with local, regional, and international media, and scheduling interviews, photo sessions, and studio appearances in collaboration with programming, guest relations, and operations teams.

A journalist interviews a Festival guest while a camera operator records the exchange.

Managing and activating media partnerships with international, regional, and local organizations, defining media benefits and deliverables, aligning editorial directions with festival objectives, monitoring commitments and deliverables, and measuring the communications value generated by partnerships and sponsorships.
Overseeing the work of international and regional public relations agencies and directing their scopes across media relations, press distribution, red carpet, studios, and crisis management, while monitoring execution quality, deliverables, and reporting.
Conducting and supporting media vetting for talent and guests, analyzing context and potential risks associated with media exposure, preparing assessment summaries and response files, contributing to monitoring and crisis preparedness, and escalating sensitive cases to decision-makers.
Coordinating with legal and talent teams to define appropriate media obligations within contracts, and organizing guest participation in interviews, studios, roundtables, and media appearances in line with the festival’s communications priorities.

A Festival guest speaks with reporters and camera crews at the press line.

Two men in traditional Saudi dress standing before the Red Sea International Film Festival 2025 media wall.

Contributing to the planning of public relations operational and contractual requirements, preparing scopes of work, technical requirements, RFPs and purchase requests, and coordinating with finance, procurement, and legal teams to follow up on rights, obligations, and deliverables.
Working directly with executive management, programming, the market, sponsorships, guest relations, operations, and supporting teams, translating communications needs into clear implementation plans, schedules, and deliverables, while managing approvals, updates, and risks across stakeholders.
Developing procedural frameworks, approval pathways, templates, and operational guidelines for public relations, and proposing solutions to automate scheduling, registration, requests, and media communications in ways that improve efficiency, measurability, and continuous development.

An audience faces the Red Sea Film Festival stage and fifth-edition screen.

Selected Achievements & Key Metrics

Overhead night view of the Red Sea International Film Festival 2025 venue, with an open red-carpet field between the branded wall and media line.

Communications Strategy

My role included developing and delivering three integrated communications and public relations strategies for three editions of the Red Sea International Film Festival, from defining priorities and key messages through translating them into implementation plans that shaped the media presence of each edition.

My role included aligning campaigns and announcements with strategic objectives, planning media coverage pathways, managing executive and spokesperson visibility, and connecting press releases, interviews, media partnerships, press junkets, red carpet operations, press conferences, and risk management within a unified communications framework.

This approach helped establish strategy as an operational reference for day-to-day work, ensuring message consistency and integrated efforts across internal teams, public relations agencies, partners, and local, regional, and international media.

A guest signs autographs amid a crowd on the Festival red carpet.

Crisis Communications & Risk Management

My role included developing 3 integrated media crisis and risk management plans, as well as their activation during editions of the Red Sea International Film Festival.

My role included anticipating risks and building potential scenarios, defining response pathways and appropriate media messages for each case, coordinating information and approvals among relevant stakeholders, and monitoring media coverage and reputational risks in real time.

A Red Sea International Film Festival campaign fills a tower screen over a dark city skyline.

I also contributed to communications decision-making during sensitive situations and ensured the readiness of messages, materials, and responses in ways that protect the Foundation’s reputation and maintain consistency in its media positioning.

Press Releases, Briefings & Media Distribution

My role covered the preparation, coordination, review and distribution of more than 80 press releases and media materials for the Red Sea Film Foundation, covering festival announcements and the Foundation’s various programs and initiatives.

My role extended to preparing media briefings, key messages, and supporting materials for spokespersons, while coordinating with relevant teams to verify the accuracy of information and consistency of messaging before publication.

I also worked on planning media distribution and directing materials to local, regional, and international media according to the nature of each announcement and its communications objectives, while monitoring coverage and responding to media requirements associated with each campaign.

English press release announcing the opening of the Red Sea International Film Festival’s fifth edition with GIANT.

Arabic press release announcing the opening of the Red Sea International Film Festival’s fifth edition with GIANT.

International & Regional PR Agency Management

Burson

Edelman

H+K

DDA

Burson

Edelman

H+K

DDA

I managed and coordinated work with leading international and regional PR agencies, including Burson, Edelman, H+K, and DDA, across communications strategy, press materials, media relations, media studios, talent visibility, press junkets, and red carpet operations.

My role included aligning agency work with the Foundation and festival’s communications priorities, setting requirements, reviewing proposals and deliverables, overseeing execution, and maintaining consistency across agencies, internal teams, and media partners.

During the fifth edition, I worked with and oversaw coordination across 20+ PR professionals from multiple agencies and teams, managing priorities, schedules, and deliverables across local, regional, and international workstreams.

Press Conferences

I helped oversee and deliver 3 major press conferences for the Red Sea International Film Festival, covering communications planning, messaging and spokesperson management, media relations, production, on-ground operations, and post-event measurement.

My role extended from shaping the communications framework and determining how key announcements should be presented, through to managing media attendance, interviews, and post-conference outputs.

A Red Sea Souk press conference panel addresses an audience beneath the festival screen.

A Red Sea Film Festival spokesperson is interviewed beside the festival media wall.

Five guests stand together beside a Red Sea Film Festival sign in Historic Jeddah.

Messaging & Announcement Development

I developed and aligned key messages with the festival’s communications priorities, working closely with executive management and relevant programme and initiative teams.

At one major press conference, 6 key news items and announcements were revealed approximately one month before the festival, making the event an important launch point for the pre-festival media cycle.

I also prepared and reviewed press releases, key messages, speeches, and supporting media materials to ensure that announcements were consistent and aligned with the festival’s wider communications narrative.

Spokesperson & Briefing Management

I prepared 6 briefing files for principal spokespersons, covering core messages, priority themes, and information related to each announcement.

I also helped coordinate spokesperson roles and appearance order, align messages across speakers, identify relevant topics and questions, and manage content and quote review pathways ahead of the event.

Run of Show Development

I contributed to developing an integrated Run of Show connecting content, announcements, speakers, presentations, production, and timing.

This included sequencing segments and speaker appearances, planning transitions, and aligning editorial requirements with technical and operational delivery.

Media Invitations & Relations

I managed media invitations across local, regional, and international outlets, developing media lists based on outlet relevance, market, and the announcements being made.

During the conferences, I managed media relations, supported journalists’ coverage requirements, and coordinated written, filmed, and television interviews with spokespersons and Foundation executives.

Production & On-Ground Operations

I coordinated with photography and video production teams to document the conferences and produce materials for media use and post-event distribution.

I also worked with internal teams and stakeholders on permits, schedules, conference scripts, spokesperson and media movement, and other technical and logistical requirements.

Media Outputs & Executive Visibility

Following each conference, I supported the management and distribution of media outputs, tracked coverage of key announcements, and monitored spokesperson and Foundation visibility across local, regional, and international media.

I also supported post-event media follow-up to extend the life of the announcements beyond the conference itself.

Post-Event Measurement

I worked on post-conference reporting to assess the volume and quality of coverage, reach, visibility, engagement, and the presence of key messages and announcements.

This allowed the conferences to be evaluated as measurable communications tools, based on their ability to launch news effectively, align spokesperson messaging, attract relevant media, and generate sustained coverage.

Regional Media Partnerships

Cinema Meem

I established and managed a regional media partnership with Cinema Meem, the Middle East's first digital media platform dedicated to cinema, creating an integrated content and distribution partnership around the fifth edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival.

The partnership combined editorial coverage, social media, newsletters, festival access, interviews, and on-ground content production to extend the festival's reach among Arabic-speaking cinema audiences across the region.

I led the partnership from planning and coordination through execution, aligning content priorities, access, schedules, interview opportunities, and publishing requirements with the festival's communications objectives.

Cinema Meem web article reporting on the Red Sea International Film Festival.

Cinema Meem social post announcing its Red Sea Film Festival partnership.

Partnership Results

More than 60 pieces of published content across Cinema Meem's digital channels.
More than 3.2 million total views across partnership content.
More than 1.4 million accounts reached through social coverage.
More than 80,000 engagements across published content.
More than 25 interviews and festival-related video features.
Daily festival coverage across social media and editorial channels.
Dedicated newsletter coverage before, during, and after the festival.

List Magazine

I managed a partnership with List Magazine to produce a special Red Sea International Film Festival edition focused on Jeddah, Al-Balad, cinema, culture, hospitality, and the festival experience.

The partnership connected the festival to List's travel, culture, and lifestyle audience through a dedicated print edition and supporting digital coverage, positioning the festival within the wider cultural identity of Jeddah.

List Magazine website article about the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah.

The Mo Show

I managed the festival's partnership with The Mo Show, creating a dedicated recorded conversation during the fifth edition.

The episode brought together festival leadership, filmmakers, and guests for a long-form discussion about the festival, Saudi cinema, and the development of the regional film industry.

I coordinated the partnership across guest selection, editorial direction, scheduling, production requirements, access, and on-ground delivery.

The format created a more conversational and human layer of festival storytelling, extending the communications programme beyond traditional press coverage.

The episode was distributed through The Mo Show's digital channels and supported broader regional visibility for the festival and its guests.

Watch the full episode

Destination

I managed a partnership with Destination to produce a dedicated festival guide and magazine experience for the fifth edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival.

The partnership presented the festival through a destination and cultural lens, connecting cinema with Jeddah, Al-Balad, hospitality, and the wider visitor experience.

I coordinated editorial direction, content priorities, festival information, imagery, review, and delivery to ensure the publication was accurate, useful, and aligned with the festival's communications narrative.

The final publication provided audiences with an accessible guide to the festival while extending its presence through Destination's print and digital channels.

Destination Jeddah special Red Sea International Film Festival guide cover.

International Media Partnerships

International media partnerships formed one of the principal pathways for strengthening the Red Sea International Film Festival’s presence within the global cinema ecosystem and reaching specialized audiences of filmmakers, producers, distributors, programmers, media organizations, and industry decision-makers.

These partnerships varied according to the nature and communications role of each platform. Some focused on building a continuous editorial presence for the festival, while others were designed to introduce Arab and regional talent to the global industry, produce long-form conversational content, build international editorial recognition for talent, or expand the festival’s global visual distribution.

My role across these partnerships ranged from shaping objectives and editorial alignment to coordinating with partners, internal teams, and talent, overseeing execution and outputs, and connecting each partnership to the festival’s communications priorities.

Screen Daily digital coverage page reporting on Red Sea Souk projects.

Screen International

The partnership with Screen International represented one of the festival’s most important routes into professional international film media, given the platform’s specialized audience of producers, distributors, programmers, filmmakers, and industry professionals.

The partnership was built across multiple layers, combining daily coverage, editorial and digital content, activity linked to the Red Sea Souk, and a headline partnership with the Arab Stars of Tomorrow initiative.

Strategic & Communications Value

The partnership gave the festival a continuous presence within a platform specializing in the film industry, rather than relying only on isolated coverage tied to announcements or major events.

It also helped reach a high-value professional audience and directly connect the festival, the Red Sea Souk, and the Foundation’s programs with industry professionals, while highlighting films, talent, executives, and programs through a connected editorial narrative that extended throughout the festival period.

Another important dimension of the partnership was linking the Red Sea name with Arab Stars of Tomorrow, strengthening the Foundation’s position in identifying emerging talent from the region and introducing it to the international film industry.

Screen Dailies & Digital Campaign

The partnership included three printed daily editions during the Red Sea Souk on 6, 7 and 8 December 2025, with 1,500 copies distributed each day — 4,500 copies in total.

It also included three dedicated daily e-newsletters reaching more than 11,000 subscribers, supported by a pre-festival digital campaign featuring a three-day site takeover, display advertising and direct marketing emails targeting around 15,000 Screen subscribers.

Together, these outputs placed festival news, interviews, reviews, talent and Red Sea Souk programming in front of a specialist film-industry audience.

Arab Stars of Tomorrow

Arab Stars of Tomorrow was the flagship element of the partnership during the fifth edition, designed to introduce emerging talent from the Middle East and North Africa to the international film industry.

Five talents were selected:

• Zoulikha Tahar — Algeria.
• Suzannah Mirghani — Sudan / Qatar.
• Lamar Faden — Saudi Arabia.
• Josef Akiki — Lebanon.
• Karim Daoud Anaya — Palestine.

Screen produced five standalone editorial profiles for the selected talent, supported by a professional shoot in AlUla and digital and video content, before an official reveal event in Jeddah attended by local and international media and featuring Screen International editor Matt Mueller.

Getty Images made 20 editorial images from the event available for distribution, while coverage extended beyond Screen’s own channels.

My Role

I contributed to shaping the partnership’s strategic objectives, aligning them with Screen International’s editorial policy, and coordinating between the platform and internal teams to ensure that the outputs served the festival’s objectives.

I also participated in organizing the Arab Stars of Tomorrow event during the festival, managing its media invitations, coordinating talent, content, and timing, and supporting the initiative’s presence across local and regional media.

Watch the full THR roundtable

The Hollywood Reporter

The partnership with The Hollywood Reporter was designed to strengthen the Red Sea International Film Festival’s position as an international platform for conversations about the present and future of cinema in the Middle East and Africa, while connecting filmmakers from the region with a specialist global audience.

Its centrepiece was the third THR Roundtable in Jeddah, bringing together five filmmakers from the Middle East and Africa. The 48-minute filmed discussion was moderated by Abid Rahman, International Editor at The Hollywood Reporter.

Participants

• Cyril Aris — Lebanese filmmaker and screenwriter.
• Jonas D'Adesky — Belgian-Rwandan filmmaker.
• Mohammed Sheikh — Somali-American filmmaker.
• Shahad Ameen — Saudi director and writer.
• Zippy Nyaruri — Kenyan director and producer.

Several participants were directly connected to films presented in the fifth edition, anchoring the discussion in the festival’s programme and talent.

Discussion Focus

The roundtable explored the rise of Arab and African cinema, the role of festivals, funds and markets in supporting filmmakers, and the tension between protecting the authenticity of local stories and meeting the demands of global markets and platforms.

The Red Sea ecosystem was part of that discussion through references to the Red Sea Fund, Red Sea Labs and the festival as connected parts of a wider support structure for films and talent.

Communications Value

The partnership created long-form editorial and video content distributed across THR’s digital and social channels, introducing regional filmmaking voices to a global audience while positioning the festival within the international conversation around the growth of Arab and African cinema.

My Role

I led the media activation between The Hollywood Reporter and internal teams, aligning participants, editorial direction, timing and execution requirements.

I also oversaw the flow of information, content and talent requirements around the roundtable, connecting the activation to the festival’s communications objectives while preserving THR’s editorial independence.

Amir El-Masry receives a Variety International Vanguard Award at the Red Sea Film Festival.

Variety International Vanguard Awards

During its fifth edition, the Red Sea International Film Festival hosted the Variety International Vanguard Awards, recognising Amir El-Masry with the International Vanguard Award for Acting and Cherien Dabis with the International Vanguard Award for Directing.

Both honours were directly connected to the festival programme: El-Masry appeared in opening film Giant, while Dabis’s All That’s Left of You screened in competition.

Strategic & Communications Value

The partnership connected the festival programme and its talent with editorial recognition from one of the world’s leading entertainment industry publications, strengthening international visibility for both the honourees and the festival among film professionals and decision-makers.

It also created durable, searchable content across Variety’s platforms and made the awards part of the festival’s wider narrative rather than a standalone activation.

My Role

I managed the media and editorial relationship with Variety, overseeing alignment with festival objectives and the flow of information, materials and timings between the publication, internal teams and talent.

I also helped define measurable objectives for the activation, including quality of coverage, international reach, visibility of key messages and recirculation of content in priority markets.

The partnership moved the relationship beyond media exposure into sustained international editorial recognition.

Open the Getty Images 2025 archive

Getty Images

Global Visual Production & Distribution

The Getty Images partnership was a core pillar of the festival’s international visual presence, producing editorial photography and video for global distribution through Getty’s network.

During the fifth edition in 2025, coverage spanned the press conference, opening and closing ceremonies, red carpets, press junkets, portrait sessions, screenings, market events and In Conversation sessions.

The scale of output reflected the breadth of coverage: the opening ceremony gallery contained around 290 images, while the closing red carpet gallery exceeded 1,000 images, alongside dozens of galleries dedicated to talent, films and individual events.

Strategic & Communications Value

The partnership turned the festival’s key moments into internationally accessible editorial assets, available to newspapers, magazines, digital platforms and entertainment media worldwide.

It expanded global visibility for the festival and participating talent, placed Saudi and Arab talent alongside international names, built a coherent visual narrative around the festival and Historic Jeddah, and created a long-term visual archive extending beyond the edition itself.

It also strengthened earned media by enabling images to travel through international outlets that rely on Getty as an editorial content source.

My Role

I led the media activation for the Getty Images partnership, aligning the coverage plan with priority festival moments, talent and events.

My role covered defining priority moments and talent, managing photographers and coverage teams across red carpets and event spaces, and overseeing positioning, access routes and technical requirements.

I also oversaw talent and guest appearances for Getty photographers, aligned coverage with opening, closing, screening and junket schedules, and tracked outputs and international reuse.

The partnership therefore operated as more than event photography: it became a system for producing and distributing the festival’s visual story globally.

Media Studios

The media studios area is one of the most important press and editorial production platforms within the Red Sea International Film Festival. Each edition hosts a number of local, regional, and international media organizations to conduct interviews, photograph talent, and produce visual and editorial content directly from the heart of the festival.

The value of these studios is not limited to providing interview spaces. They serve a broader communications function by connecting participating talent and films with media platforms serving different audiences, expanding the volume of content produced during the festival, and giving each partner a space designed to suit its editorial identity, audience, and partnership objectives.

During the fifth edition, the area hosted six media studios, ranging from international film platforms and regional cultural media to photography studios and a media activation linked to one of the festival’s sponsorships.

Variety

The Variety studio formed part of a broader partnership with the platform, but its role within the media studios area focused on producing a series of editorial interviews with a number of leading filmmakers and talents participating in the fifth edition.

The studio conducted 8 interviews covering participating films, the professional journeys of directors and actors, their experiences at the festival, and broader topics relating to the film industry in the region and its global presence.

The interviews featured names connected to several of the edition’s most prominent films and programs, including directors, actors, and filmmakers involved in the opening film, competition, awards programs, and festival initiatives.

The studio represented a practical extension of the editorial relationship with Variety and enabled the festival to turn the presence of talent in Jeddah into published content on a global platform specializing in cinema and entertainment, expanding access to an international audience of film industry professionals and followers.

Deadline Hollywood

The Deadline Hollywood studio was part of a wider media partnership with the platform and was designed to combine an interview area with a photography studio, allowing for integrated editorial and visual content production with participating stars and filmmakers.

The studio’s visual identity drew inspiration from the architecture of Historic Jeddah, connecting the produced content with the place hosting the festival and giving the studio a visual character beyond the conventional media studio format.

The studio generated more than 24 interviews with local, regional, and international stars, talent, and filmmakers, in addition to more than 30 photography sessions.

Published interviews achieved approximately 2.4 million views globally, giving the festival and participating talent additional visibility through one of the leading media platforms specializing in the entertainment industry.

The studio’s value lay in combining international media reach, long-term content production, and the use of Historic Jeddah’s local identity within a media experience designed for a global audience.

Play the Deadline interview series

A published Deadline Hollywood interview page from the Red Sea studio.

AlThaqafeyah Channel

As part of the wider communications effort to strengthen the visibility of Saudi, Arab, and international talent, the media studios area hosted AlThaqafeyah Channel, one of Saudi Arabia’s leading platforms specializing in cultural, literary, and cinematic content.

The studio was hosted by Saudi film expert and content creator Rakan Alshaya and conducted dozens of interviews with stars, directors, and filmmakers participating in the festival.

These interviews introduced talent, programs, and films to a broad Saudi cultural audience and were published across the channel’s social media platforms and YouTube channel.

The studio played an important communications role in connecting the international film event with local audiences and giving talent a conversational space in the language and cultural context closest to Saudi viewers.

An AlThaqafeyah Channel social post documenting a festival studio interview.

Getty Images

The festival also hosted a dedicated Getty Images photography studio designed to produce professional portrait photography of leading stars and talent participating in the edition.

The studio captured dozens of images of international, regional, and local stars, and these materials traveled through Getty’s network to multiple international media platforms and outlets.

The communications value of the studio, however, was not only in the scale of its output but also in its visual identity. The concept was inspired by the rawasheen of Historic Jeddah, with the shadows of the roshan becoming the principal visual element in the images.

This resulted in a set of photographs with a clear sense of place, featuring international names including Dakota Johnson, Idris Elba, and Anthony Hopkins, and a number of these images were reused across media coverage and international platforms.

Because of the communications and visual significance of the concept, the Getty Shadows Studio is presented separately later as a case study in building brand perception through design and visual content.

Hia Magazine

The Hia studio was developed as part of a media partnership with one of the region’s leading platforms in women’s media, lifestyle, culture, and fashion, with the aim of reaching a broad regional audience through content combining filmed interviews and photography.

The studio hosted a large number of local, regional, and international stars and talents and produced more than 150 interviews alongside more than 100 photography sessions.

The resulting content achieved approximately 12 million views and more than 784.7K engagements across digital platforms.

The studio was one of the largest in terms of content volume during the fifth edition and helped expand the festival’s presence beyond the traditional film media space to reach a broader regional audience interested in culture, entertainment, talent, and lifestyle.

A Hia Magazine social post showing a portrait produced in the festival studio.

Lucid Car Studio

Two Lucid Gravity vehicles displayed on a ramp before the Red Sea International Film Festival 2025 entrance.

Lucid Car Studio was a media activation connected to Lucid’s sponsorship of the festival and was designed differently from traditional fixed studios.

The Lucid vehicle itself became a mobile interview studio, taking stars and talent on a journey through Historic Jeddah during the conversation so that the car, the city, and the guest became part of a single media experience.

The interviews were presented by Arab media personality Bilal Al Arabi, and the studio was designed to create value beyond traditional sponsor visibility by integrating the brand into a content format that could be watched, published, and circulated.

The activation represented a model for transforming sponsorship from brand space into a standalone media experience that combined content, talent, Jeddah’s identity, and the sponsor’s product in a single context.

This project is addressed in greater detail within the sponsorship section because the studio was part of Lucid’s sponsorship activation rather than an independent media partnership.

Watch the full Lucid interview

Getty “Shadows” Studio

At an international festival welcoming stars and media from around the world, it is not enough for a photography studio to be technically well equipped. It also needs to produce imagery capable of competing globally while carrying the identity of the place in which it was created.

This was the starting point for the Getty Images studio in Historic Jeddah.

The challenge was clear: how can a global-standard photography studio be created inside an international festival without becoming a neutral space that could exist in any other city?

This was especially important because the images produced would not remain within the festival’s own channels; they would travel through Getty to news agencies, newspapers, magazines, and media platforms around the world.

Communications Concept

The concept began by treating Historic Jeddah itself as a communications asset that could be built upon.

Instead of relying on direct use of logos or traditional decorative motifs, the team selected one of the most recognizable elements of Hijazi architecture: the roshan.

The geometry of the roshan was used as a source of light and shadow, turning its patterns into a visual background through a shadow-projection technique.

The result was a studio that carried Jeddah’s identity without placing it literally in the frame. The place was present through light, lines, and shadow rather than décor or logos.

From Place to Image

The studio welcomed a number of the festival’s leading participating stars, including Dakota Johnson, Idris Elba, and Anthony Hopkins, alongside other talent and guests.

The sessions produced photographs with a consistent and distinctive visual identity. The images were made available through Getty for international editorial use, and some were repurposed in articles, coverage, and media posts outside the festival’s own channels.

In this way, an idea derived from a local architectural element became a visual asset capable of global distribution.

Communications Value

The project was built on the principle that brand perception does not always require the direct presence of a logo or written message.

Identity can be created through the design of the experience itself, making the visual form part of the communications message.

The Shadows Studio achieved a balance between two requirements that had to be preserved together: a visual standard suitable for a global platform such as Getty Images, and a local identity directly connected to Historic Jeddah.

Instead of producing images that could have been taken at any international festival, the content gained a visual element that tied it to the place in which it was created.

My Role

My role centered on building the project’s communications and strategic framework and connecting the visual direction with the value we wanted the images to carry.

This included shaping the communications concept, defining the relationship between Historic Jeddah’s identity and the desired visual output, contributing to the planning of the studio’s art direction, and then working with the relevant technical and operational teams to turn the concept into an executable photography space that met Getty’s professional requirements.

From the outset, the aim was for design not to be a decorative element separate from communications, but for the design itself to become a means of shaping brand perception and transforming the identity of place into content capable of traveling through global media.

Press Office & Media Accreditation

The press office served as the central connection point between media organisations and the festival’s teams, programme, talent and events. I managed several of the workstreams responsible for media servicing, access and coverage opportunities throughout the festival.

Press Office Management

I managed day-to-day press office operations, connecting media requests to interviews, press junkets, red carpets, press conferences, media studios and special events.

My role included managing journalist requests, maintaining current information on the programme, talent and media opportunities, routing requests to the relevant teams, and resolving changes and exceptions in a fast-moving operating environment.

I also oversaw media databases and lists, keeping access levels and available opportunities current to support faster responses, accurate information and a smoother journalist experience.

I worked directly with programming, guest relations, operations and red carpet teams to align coverage needs with festival priorities.

Media Accreditation

I led the development of an integrated media accreditation system covering the journalist journey from application through approval and access to relevant events and media opportunities.

My role included setting application assessment criteria, verifying journalists and media organisations, classifying requests by outlet type, market, specialism and local, regional or international scope, and managing review, approval and exception pathways.

I connected accreditation data to red carpets, press junkets, interviews, press conferences and media studios so access could be allocated according to the nature of each outlet’s coverage and the festival’s priorities.

I also oversaw application and approval tracking, cross-team updates and readiness reporting ahead of the festival, turning accreditation from a registration process into an operational tool for managing media access and relationships.

Media Operations

I managed on-ground media operations throughout the festival, one of the most intensive areas of delivery, bringing together media, talent, production companies, programming, guest relations and operations while requiring precise control of schedules, movement and coverage opportunities.

My scope included more than 45 press junkets and more than 15 red carpet operations.

Press Junkets & Media Interviews

A festival press-junket interview with a camera recording the host and guest.

I managed the planning and scheduling of interviews between films, talent and local, regional and international media, including confirmations, changes and overlapping schedules during the festival.

I also developed a unified press-junket workflow to allocate media opportunities efficiently, manage journalist and talent movement, and make the best use of the time available for each film or guest.

The work included overseeing interview-space readiness and working with production companies, film teams, guest relations and operations to absorb real-time changes and keep delivery running smoothly.

Red Carpet Media Operations

Othman Sunbul standing on the festival red carpet between media positions.

A journalist interviewing a guest while a photographer works beside the festival media line.

I managed red carpet media operations from outlet prioritisation and approved media lists through to journalist positions, access routes and the movement of talent and media on site.

I also oversaw alignment of timings and media requirements with protocol, guest relations, operations and production teams, ensuring locations and technical requirements were ready before each event.

The scope covered the opening and closing ceremonies as well as a number of special red carpets requiring simultaneous management of film, talent and media needs.

High-Intensity Media Operations

The role required fast operational decisions in an environment where schedules and requirements changed continuously, at the intersection of media relations, talent management and live event operations.

This helped turn high-density media moments into organised operations that protected the experience for media and talent, supported local and international coverage, and maximised the communications value of press junkets and red carpets.

Sponsorship Activation

I managed a number of sponsorship and partnership workstreams from a public relations and communications perspective, with the aim of turning agreed benefits from conventional brand exposure into measurable media activations, content and experiences that served both the festival and the partner.

My role included designing and assessing media benefits, reviewing partner proposals and strategies, and linking them to the festival’s communications priorities, audiences and target markets.

I also worked with sponsorship teams and partners to develop activations that connected brands with content, talent and the festival experience in ways that created genuine media value.

Benefit Design & Impact Measurement

My work included:

Designing media benefits around partner and festival objectives.
Assessing sponsor proposals and strategies.
Developing content and media activation concepts.
Managing delivery across partners, talent, media and internal teams.
Tracking agreed commitments and outputs.
Measuring performance across content, reach, coverage and engagement.

The objective was to build partnerships that created shared value: partners gained reach, content and meaningful association with the festival, while each activation added value to the festival experience and media presence.

Lucid Mobile Car Studio

Lucid Mobile Car Studio was one of the strongest examples of a sponsorship-led media activation during the festival.

The Lucid vehicle became a mobile interview studio, taking stars and talent through Historic Jeddah during conversations hosted by Bilal Al Arabi and bringing the car, city, guest and content into a single format.

Communications Value

The activation embedded the brand within the content rather than relying on conventional visual exposure. The car became a natural part of the interview, Historic Jeddah became part of the setting, and talent and editorial content remained at the centre of the experience.

This turned the sponsorship benefit into publishable, watchable and shareable content combining cinema, brand presence and Jeddah’s cultural identity.

My Role

I managed the media side of the activation, connected it with participating talent, scheduled interviews and oversaw delivery between the partner and internal teams against its communications objectives.

I also helped shape the benefit as a branded editorial experience that protected the editorial value of the content while giving the partner a clear and natural presence within it.

The activation reflects my approach to sponsorships: moving from exposure to value, and from advertising space to content and experience.

Media Invitations & International Press Engagement

I led the media invitation strategy for the festival’s fifth edition, with the objectives of expanding press presence, reaching new international markets and attracting outlets aligned with the festival’s communications priorities, including stronger outreach into Asian markets.

Media Targeting Strategy

Invitation lists were built around the value of each outlet, its market, editorial specialism, audience and ability to support priority films, talent and programmes.

I balanced specialist film media with news, culture and entertainment platforms, and tied each invitation to a clear communications objective — whether strengthening a priority market, supporting a film or talent story, or building a longer-term relationship with an influential outlet.

United States

United Kingdom

Saudi Arabia

Egypt

India

Germany / Europe

United Arab Emirates

Lebanon

Matching Media to the Programme

I matched invited journalists and outlets with films, talent and programmes most relevant to their specialisms and markets, shifting the focus from general attendance to deeper, more targeted coverage through interviews, reviews and editorial stories.

Hosted Media Experience

I oversaw the hosted media experience from confirmation through the festival, ensuring access to the most relevant opportunities, including:

• Media interviews.
• Talent and filmmakers.
• Press junkets.
• Red carpet access.
• Events and sessions.

I also managed requests and schedule changes across internal teams, PR agencies and guest relations to maximise the value of each invited outlet’s presence.

Relationship Building & Impact Measurement

The strategy was also designed to build lasting relationships with international and regional journalists and organisations beyond the festival dates, supporting year-round coverage of the Foundation’s programmes and initiatives.

After the festival, I tracked the impact of hosted media through the volume and quality of coverage, the markets and themes that performed most strongly, and opportunities to improve future targeting.

This approach turned media invitations from a hosting exercise into a strategic tool for directing coverage, building relationships and expanding the festival’s international presence.

Influencer Campaign

As part of the fifth edition communications strategy, I planned and delivered a local influencer campaign designed to expand conversation around the festival, strengthen audience engagement and connect its films and programmes more directly with local interests.

Campaign Objectives

The campaign focused on three priorities:

Increase engagement and reach through content that captured the festival atmosphere and standout moments.
Spotlight priority films and programmes, including red carpet titles and In Conversation sessions.
Reinforce the festival as an accessible event for audiences across the Kingdom and part of Jeddah’s cultural calendar.

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My Role

I defined the campaign’s communications messages and prepared influencer briefing materials covering priority films, programmes and messages.

I also oversaw the launch alongside the festival’s main campaign, tracked delivery and outputs with the relevant teams, and measured performance through engagement, reach, content quality and message penetration.

The campaign extended the festival’s presence across social platforms and translated its cinema and cultural programme into content that felt closer and more relevant to local audiences.

International Festival Engagement

The Red Sea Film Foundation’s participation in major international festivals and markets is a direct extension of its support for films and talent through the Red Sea Fund, Red Sea Labs and the Red Sea Souk, alongside the Foundation’s professional presence in global film markets and industry events.

These engagements help Saudi and regional films and talent reach international audiences while expanding the Foundation’s relationships with filmmakers, programmers, producers, distributors and international media.

BerlinRoute origin

VeniceVerified outcome

International Representation

I represented the Red Sea Film Foundation at international industry events including the Berlin International Film Festival, where Foundation-backed films and projects featured in official selections and at the European Film Market (EFM).

I also joined the Foundation team at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, where five supported films were represented, including Saudi feature Hijra, winner of the NETPAC Award for Best Asian Film.

Foundation representation at a Saudi cinema stand during the Berlin International Film Festival market.

Foundation fieldwork during a rainy day at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Communications Planning for International Festivals

I developed communications plans for international festival participation, defining key messages and media priorities according to the films, programmes and markets relevant to each event.

I also oversaw supporting media campaigns before, during and after each engagement, connecting the Foundation’s presence with priority films, talent and achievements.

Film & Talent Support

I managed media support around backed films and projects, including highlighting official selections, supporting filmmakers and talent, providing media materials and facilitating coverage and interview opportunities.

Spokesperson Media Management

My role included preparing briefing packs for Foundation spokespeople and executives participating in international festivals, covering key messages, participation priorities and relevant films, programmes and initiatives.

I also managed spokesperson media appearances, including interviews and meetings with international journalists and media organisations, aligning each opportunity with the communications objectives of the relevant festival engagement.

International Media Relations & Events

I prepared press releases, media alerts and supporting materials for international participation, and managed relationships with journalists and media organisations working across global festivals and markets.

I also supported Foundation events and activations, managing their media requirements and connecting them to the broader communications plan for each festival engagement.

Red Sea Film Foundation leadership at Cannes, presented as Foundation-network context rather than personal attendance evidence. — Foundation network contextCannes

Impact Measurement

I tracked and evaluated the communications impact of international participation through resulting coverage, visibility of films, talent and Foundation messages, and the way key stories travelled through international media.

This approach treated international festival participation as a communications investment with value beyond the event itself — strengthening film and talent visibility and the Foundation’s relationships across the global film industry.