Red Sea Film Foundation Marks Record Presence in the Race for Oscars with 12 Supported Films
A record 12 Red Sea Film Foundation-supported films have entered the race for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards, representing 12 countries across Saudi Arabia, the Arab world, Africa and Asia.
Eleven have been selected as the official submissions of their respective countries: "A Matter of Life and Death, Roqia, Soumsoum, the Night of the Stars, The Stories, Guria, Four Seasons in Java, Sink, Strawberries, Ben’Imana, We Are All Strangers, and The Other Side of the Sun."
They are joined by Angh, which won the Platform Award at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival. Under new Academy rules introduced for the 99th Academy Awards, the Platform Award winner is among a select group of international festival prize winners eligible to submit directly for consideration in the category.
CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation Faisal Baltyuor said: “The Red Sea Fund backs a broad slate of films each year, and for twelve of them to reach the Oscars race is an extraordinary moment of pride for the Red Sea Film Foundation. For eleven, being chosen by their countries as the official submission is in itself a significant recognition of the filmmakers and their work, and a testament to the talent and the stories emerging from Saudi Arabia, the Arab world, Africa and Asia. It reflects the growing impact of our commitment to empowering filmmakers and championing their creative visions, from the earliest stages of development through to the international stage. It has been a privilege to be part of their journeys, and we wish them every success as they continue in the Academy Awards race.”
The milestone caps a strong year for Foundation-supported cinema across Cannes, Venice and Toronto. At TIFF 2026 the Foundation marked its largest presence at the festival with eight supported films, culminating in Angh’s Platform Award, while Ben’Imana — now Rwanda’s official submission — won the Caméra d’Or at Cannes earlier in the year.
The shortlist for Best International Feature Film will be announced on December 15, 2026, with nominations on January 21, 2027. The 99th Academy Awards take place on March 14, 2027, in Los Angeles.
