TikTok Joins Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival as Sponsor, Unveils Shorts Competition

                              

In addition, the social media video platform will organize a workshop at its Red Sea Souk, or bazaar, and broadcast live feeds of the opening and closing ceremonies of the fourth edition of the festival in Jeddah.

                                      

Ahead of the Red Sea International Film Festival's (RSIFF) fourth edition, which will take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from December 5–14, TikTok has joined the list of sponsors.

"Offering creatives, entertainment enthusiasts, and industry insiders worldwide an opportunity to express themselves, connect with a global community, and share stories behind-the-scenes," the social media video platform is sponsoring a new short film competition. The hashtags #RedSeaIFF24 and #TheNewHomeOfFilm can be used to submit unique shorts in the vertical format.

A gold winner will be revealed at the RSIFF's Red Sea Souk Awards on December 10 after three finalists are chosen to produce their short films.

"TikTok will also offer a range of activities on the ground at the festival, including presenting an official live stream of the RSIFF's glittering opening and closing ceremonies, sharing exclusive interviews with industry leaders, actors, and filmmakers, and hosting a workshop at the festival's industry hub, the Red Sea Souk," or market, the company stated, in addition to its new RSIFF competition.


The company claims to have more than 1 billion users worldwide. It recently launched TikTok Spotlight, a marketing tool for studios and the entertainment sector that enables businesses to put a link to TikTok videos that incorporate content related to an upcoming movie or library content.

"Increasing the platform of films from the Arab, African, and Asian regions is one of our main goals at RSIFF, and TikTok is the ideal partner to continue expanding our festival to new audiences from around the world with their genuinely global user base and commitments to diversifying the ways that films of all forms are viewed and shared," said Samaher Mously, director of marketing and communication at the Red Sea Film Foundation.

Kinda Ibrahim, regional general manager of operations at TikTok Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Pakistan, Central, and South Asia, said, "As a platform that champions creativity and the power of storytelling, we are thrilled to partner with the Red Sea International Film Festival to celebrate and elevate filmmakers from around the world."

 "This partnership demonstrates our commitment to helping filmmakers, content producers, and business professionals by giving them fresh platforms to tell their stories and engage with viewers around the globe. We are excited to demonstrate how TikTok continues to inspire and impact the entertainment industry globally, from organizing interactive workshops and the short film competition to live-streaming significant festival moments.