Red Sea Fund & Film AlUla Partner On Production Grant
The Red Sea Fund has partnered with Film AlUla to offer a production grant for filmmakers with projects set within the landscape of AlUla in northwest Saudi Arabia. The Red Sea Fund and Film AlUla will be named as co-producers on all selected films, and Saudi Arabia will be a co-production country. The two bodies said chosen filmmakers will be given “free rein” on their creative project and will be judged purely on the quality of the production, talent, and script. Projects from Saudi Arabia, the Arab regions, and Africa are eligible for the Film AlUla fund. The fund will sponsor at least 10 projects. Mohammed Al Turki, CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation, said: “Our aim as an organization is to uplift and support filmmakers from the Arab and African region and to promote the industry in Saudi Arabia – which is home to incredible filming locations like AlUla. We are delighted to have Film AlUla as a partner on this third cycle of funding, which will provide fund recipients the opportunity to bring their creative visions to life on the big screen as well as showcase the beauty and diversity of this country, with the backing of two significant partners.”
Banijay’s Scenery Hires Non-Scripted Chief
Banijay Benelux’s Amsterdam-based doc label Scenery has named Anouk Kamminga as Head of Non-Scripted. She’ll work alongside founders Isidoor Roebers and Lea Fels and Strategy Director Naique Tanate to develop the company strategy and oversee the continuity and quality of all productions. Kamminga joins from the Dutch network VPRO, where she was a Chief Editor. Her credits include the documentaries Obada and Pisnicht: The Movie, and was known at VPRO for championing talent development and leading the talent project Dorst. Scenery is known for the Netflix series Human Playground and several other high-profile European docs.
SF Studios Appoints Nordic Distribution Head
SF Studios has hired Pia Grünler as Nordic Head of Theatrical Distribution. Grünler has been managing SF Studios’ theatrical distribution since 2016. In the new role, she will take full responsibility for the company’s theatrical business and team in the Nordics, with a focus on developing, marketing, and distributing a slate of films to cinema audiences, the company said. “We are very excited that Pia will take on this new role leading our theatrical distribution in the Nordics,” SF Studios CEO Jan Bernhardsson said. “She knows our company well and has long, successful, and well-documented experience in film distribution combined with a great understanding of the film industry that will strengthen our continued development in a rapidly changing market.”
Chris Nelson Wins Screenshot Award
Comedian Chris Nelson won this year’s Screenshot Award. The panel for this year’s gong, which celebrates the British live comedy scene, included Olivia Colman, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Rosie Jones, and Munya Chawawa, along with Ed Sinclair (South of the River), Joint Creative Director of Scripted Naomi de Pear (SISTER) and Producer, Holly Pullinger (This is Going to Hurt). Commenting on Nelson, Colman said: “Chris’s unique talent is finding gentleness and humanity in every aspect of her comedy and making the specific supremely accessible – hilarious, expectation-defying, and utterly joyous.”
