Red Sea Film Fest Books ‘Black Dog,’ ‘Santosh,’ ‘Familiar Touch’ for Festival Favorites Program

The Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia has picked 12 movies for its Festival Favorites selection of standouts from the fest circuit, including U.K. Oscar submission Santosh, an Indian police procedural about two women who form an unlikely alliance directed by Sandhya Suri, and Chinese auteur Guan Hu’s Black Dog, which won the Un Certain Regard Prize at Cannes.

Representing the U.S. in the lineup is Familiar Touch from director Sarah Friedland whose synopsis reads: “Arriving at an aged care facility, Ruth thinks she is in a fancy hotel on a date – with a man who is actually her son. Gradually, she reconciles herself to the life she has now.” The film had its world premiere in the Horizons lineup of the Venice Film Festival.

The Festival Favorites program also includes two films from Africa that played at the Toronto International Film Festival: The Legend of the Vagabond: Queen of Lagos, which follows a poor young mother living in Lagos’ waterside communities and was directed by Bisola Akinmuyiwa, Atinkpo Elijah, Tina Edukpo, Samuel Okechukwu, Temitope Ogungbamila, Mathew Cerf; and Afolabi Olalekan’s Freedom Way, which is also set in Lagos and explores the impact of a new ride-sharing app on its founders and customers.

“This year’s selection continues to demonstrate our commitment to showcasing diverse voices and perspectives during the festival,” said Kaleem Aftab, director of international programming for the Red Sea festival. “These films explore a range of real, human themes – from contemporary social issues to relationships and the search for meaning in an increasingly complex and chaotic world.”

Added Antoine Khalife, director of Arab programs and film classics: “This year’s Festival Favorites are films that stay with the viewer long after the fall of the curtain. They all tell important stories, tales of resilience, identity and universal truth. We invite you all to come experience these stories for yourself, indulging in diverse perspectives from across the world.”

Here is the full selection of titles for the 2024 Festival Favorites program at the Red Sea festival:

AGORA directed by Ala Eddine Slim
Tunisia, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar
In a faraway town, missing people return under inexplicable circumstances. An investigation is launched, led by local police inspector Fathi, assisted by his doctor friend Amine. Things get complicated and reinforcements are sent from the capital to solve the case.

BLACK DOG directed by Guan Hu
China
In a bleak, crumbling Chinese town due for demolition, a damaged ex-convict develops a transformative bond with a stray dog.

EAST OF NOON directed by Hala Elkoussy
Egypt, Netherlands, Qatar
A fable about musician Abdo, who rebels against his elders, seeking freedom through his art in a confined world outside of time.

EEPHUS directed by Carson Lund
United States of America (USA), France
A group of out-of-shape middle-aged men meet for their weekly baseball game for the last time; in more ways than one, it is the end of an era.

FAMILIAR TOUCH directed by Sarah Friedland
United States of America (USA)
Arriving at an aged care facility, Ruth thinks she is in a fancy hotel on a date – with a man who is actually her son. Gradually, she reconciles herself to the life she has now.

FREEDOM WAY directed by Afolabi Olalekan
Nigeria   
A ride-sharing app is exactly what chaotic Lagos needs, but both the young engineers who set it up and the customers who depend on it have to deal with corruption, police violence and extortion.

THE INEVITABLE JOURNEY TO FIND A WEDDING DRESS directed by Jaylan Auf
Egypt
Warda’s frantic search for a wedding dress on the eve of the ceremony becomes a journey of self-discovery challenging her relationship with Cairo and herself.

THE LEGEND OF THE VAGABOND QUEEN OF LAGOS directed by Bisola Akinmuyiwa, Atinkpo Elijah, Tina Edukpo, Samuel Okechukwu, Temitope Ogungbamila, Mathew Cerf
Nigeria, South Africa, Germany, United States of America (USA)
A poor young mother, filled with an ancient warrior spirit, faces down the bullies and bulldozers coming to destroy Lagos’s waterside communities.

LITTLE JAFFNA directed by Lawrence Valin
France
A police officer sent to infiltrate Tamil gangs in Paris starts to wonder whose side he is really on.

QUIET LIFE directed by Alexandros Avranas
France, Germany, Sweden, Estonia, Greece, Finland
A mysterious illness strikes down the youngest child of refugees after their application for political asylum in Sweden is turned down.

SANTOSH directed by Sandhya Suri
United Kingdom, Germany, France
A rookie Indian female police officer falls under the influence of an older woman mentor.

U ARE THE UNIVERSE directed by Pavlo Ostrikov
Ukraine, Belgium
Where were you when the Earth exploded? Out in space, desperately seeking a friend on the other side of the solar system.