Hani Al-Mihmadi: “Talent alone is not enough, and as long as actresses are still affected by the customs of their society, their role will remain like that of a traditional woman in society” JEDDAH: With the aid of the Saudi Film Commission, the Red Sea International Film Festival continues to support its talents and filmmakers by taking part in the 78th edition of the Venice International Film Festival. The festival, which launched on Wednesday, was attended by some of the most popular Saudi talents and is an opportunity for Saudis and international actors, filmmakers, directors, producers, film editors and scriptwriters to gain expertise and experience. ad Saudi attendees included the actresses Fatima Al-Banawi and Sarah Messfir, and the actors Ahmed Al-Mulla, Yagoub Al-Farhan, Mujtaba Saeed and Almotaz Al-Jefris. “Three months ago, Saudi Arabia participated with a pavilion at the Cannes Festival, and they are now present at the 78th Venice International Film Festival. Through such events we can present our future plans for our cinema industry,” Mamdouh Salem, a Saudi producer and director, told Arab News. “Our presence at Venice is a continuation of our participation at Cannes. I am hopeful that through this event we can build bridges of relationships with filmmakers around the world. Saudi Arabia is rich in historical places and diversified heritage sites, so we can also attract filmmaking businesses to shoot their future films here,” Salem said. In Venice, the RSIFF is hosting a series of events, including a gala evening designed to celebrate women in cinema and their achievements, supporting the RISFF’s mission to drive the empowerment of women both in front of and behind the camera. “Women make up half of society. Their presence in all social activities has become a necessity. We now have many Saudi female directors, actors, scriptwriters, film editors, and producers,” he said. ad Meanwhile, Hani Al-Mihmadi, a Saudi producer and director specializing in documentaries, said that Saudi female talents were more aware and mature. However, academic training was still vital for both men and women. “Talent alone is not enough, and as long as actresses are still affected by the customs of their society, their role will remain like that of a traditional woman in society,” he said.