TWELVE-MONTH HIGHLIGHT(S):
The seemingly unlimited spending power of RSIFF was in full view at its second edition that took place in Jeddah early December after an extensive promotional blitz. The star-studded opening night festivities at the Ritz-Carlton was Cannes-like in its assortment of big-name celebrities and decadent albeit alcohol-free festivities. And with $400,00 worth of grants and prizes handed out to Red Souk projects, RSIFF is making a big claim to fill the void left by the sudden shutdown of the much-loved Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) - many of whose leaders are now in charge of this would-be successor.

NEXT CHALLENGE :
The big question is whether RSIFF can be relied upon to continue longer than DIFF, once all the novelty value starts to fade and a more restrained budget becomes the norm now that the event no longer needs to shout for attention. At stake are not just a nascent Saudi filmmaking industry but the entire MENA region that will inevitably become co-dependent on its largesse and market power.