THR Roundtable: Global Filmmaking And The Business Of Hollywood At The Red Sea International Film Festival
The Hollywood Reporter Roundtable at the Red Sea International Film Festival has released its new video on five directors working in the region. The following directors chosen for discussion were Zippy Nyaruri (Kenya) for Truck Mama, Mohammed Sheikh (Somalia) for Barni, Jonas D’adesky (Belgium) for Kwibuka, Remember, Cyril Aris (Lebanon) for A Sad and Beautiful World, and lastly, Shahad Ameen (Saudi Arabia) for Hijra.
The topics discussed ranged from filmmaking in each person's region to various obstacles the filmmakers have had to overcome to make their name known in Hollywood.
Zippy Nyaruri, a documentary filmmaker, speaks about the challenges that African filmmakers face. One big aspect is accessibility to industry systems. Many countries lack the same resources as others; she heavily relied on her film career to establish better relations outside of Hollywood, thereby allowing her to work independently without needing help from Western film companies. “For us, the challenge has never been creativity — it’s access to systems that allow films to exist beyond the idea stage.” Nyaruri then discusses that from a business perspective, filmmaking is both an artistic and infrastructural work. Any control over production and distribution truly affects what is shown on the big screen.
“If you don’t control the ecosystem, then the market controls what stories you’re allowed to tell.”
Mohammed Sheikh added on to Nyaruri’s comments by discussing how filmmakers also face challenges politically, as certain regions implement specific rules on what can be filmed and shown to the public. He also discusses his own personal career, how Hollywood funding and European funding help his productions move forward, but at what cost? Without the help of these funds, most films don’t even see the light of day. “If you want to make films from Sudan, you have to understand that the industry is mostly outside the country.” Still, Sheikh and Nyaruri do agree on certain topics, especially how films outside of the country can be controlled by these production companies.
““The danger is when the market decides your film before you’ve even written it.””
Jonas D’adesky comments on the mechanics of international co-production and how a defining film can be a treaty between two companies. He states, “Co-production is not just a financial agreement — it’s a creative negotiation.” His comment echoes past remarks about how outside financing can create a rift in the narrative being told. For D’adesky, it’s simple: success in the industry depends heavily on how much of your culture you truly convey without losing financing.
“Co-production is not just a financial agreement — it’s a creative negotiation.”
Cyril Aris added to the discussion topic surrounding documentary filmmaking, specifically within the political and social contexts that demand attention and not commercial appeal. His career has focused heavily on business models that rely on film festivals for distribution and validation, as Hollywood often doesn’t reward documentary films. As explained by Aris, “Documentary filmmakers don’t have the luxury of waiting for the industry to catch up.”
“Festivals become our distribution, our marketing, and our survival.”
Shahad Ameen offers a glimpse of hope for the industry as she discusses the rapid growth within the Saudi film industry and how new funding and film commissions are helping filmmakers in the area get their stories told. By allowing easier access within the community, Ameen has found finding crew and filmmakers in the area an easier task than before. Also, by being local, she found that she could still get global visibility without the help of Hollywood or European investors. “For the first time, we can imagine careers without having to leave our countries.” Ameen shows that without the support of Hollywood, films don’t have to succumb to change, but rather, can be themselves.
“Support doesn’t mean control — that’s the real change,”
In the end, all the participants of the table concluded that Hollywood wasn’t the only destination for filmmakers in the world. Festivals, just like the Red Sea, provide filmmakers from various regions a platform to showcase the stories they want to tell. Their careers aren’t defined by Hollywood or European validation, but rather by validation within their community. The future of cinema isn’t defined by where you are or who you show it to; it’s defined by the economic sustainability and cultural specificity that exist together, allowing filmmakers to make the film and also showcase it.
