Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival has added a slew of big names to its “In Conversation” lineup, including “Materialists” star Dakota Johnson, actor and businesswoman Jessica Alba and “Ballerina” lead Ana de Armas.
Other stars who were just announced to speak at the fifth edition of the fest — which kicks off in Jeddah on Thursday and runs through Dec. 13 — are Oscar nominee Kirsten Dunst, “The Vampire Diaries” star Nina Dobrev, Oscar-nominated actor and producer Queen Latifah and Hindi cinema icon Kriti Sanon.
According to a press release, the “In Conversation” guests will “share insights and have meaningful discussions about their practice, passions and stories with fans, cinema lovers and industry executives.” They join a raft of stars heading to Red Sea this week, including fellow “In Conversation” speakers Adrien Brody, Sean Baker and “The Voice of Hind Rajab” director Kaouther Ben Hania, as well as festival honorees Michael Caine, Sigourney Weaver, Juliette Binoche, Rachid Bouchareb and Stanley Tong.
Oscar-winning “Anora” director Baker is also serving as this year’s jury president. The fest’s International Spectacular lineup includes screenings of Angelina Jolie’s “Couture,” “The Wizard of the Kremlin” starring Jude Law and Paul Dano and Rupert Wyatt’s “Desert Warrior” with Ben Kingsley and Anthony Mackie, while its competition is mainly focused on films from Asia, Africa and the Arab world. Rowan Athale’s boxing biopic “Giant,” starring Amir El-Masry as legendary British-Yemeni featherweight “Prince” Naseem Hamed and Pierce Brosnan as his trainer, will open the festival out of competition on Thursday night.
