Saudi film producer Mohammed Al Turki will be honoured at the Venice Film Festival next month.
The former chief executive and current advisor of the Red Sea Film Foundation, the body overseeing Jeddah's Red Sea International Film Festival, will be honoured with the Philanthropic Leadership Award by the Foundation for Aids Research (Amfar) as part of a gala event on September 1.
Speaking to The National, Al Turki states that the honour is a reflection of his life's mission to make an impact on the world stage, and to help break ground for Saudis in the arts and philanthropy spaces globally.
"I launched my film career in 2010 – almost 14 years ago. I always wanted to bridge East and West. To be the first Saudi individually honoured in Venice with any sort of award holds a special place to my heart, and I'm happy that we are continuing to break barriers and make a difference," he says.
Amfar's president Kevin Robert Frost told Variety the award is given in tribute to the Saudi film festival's patronage of the organisation over the years.
“Thanks in part to Mohammed Al Turki’s leadership, The Red Sea International Film Festival has been a loyal supporter of Amfar’s work for many years, and through their generosity and partnership, they have helped advance our lifesaving research," Frost said.
Al Turki stresses that this support will remain a personal priority for him moving forward.
He adds: "I will always continue the work that Amfar does in the fight against HIV and the fight against Aids, and I applaud the work that they've been doing.
"These events are not just about the glitz and glamour. These events are meaningful. They're making a difference and raising funds to finding a cure. It's apparent now more than ever that we need stand together with our counterparts and to find a solution to end this epidemic."
Also to be recognised as part of the event is actor Richard Gere, who will receive the Award for Inspiration for his humanitarian work.
Al Turki and Gere have a history of collaboration, with the former co-producing Arbitrage, which opened that year's Abu Dhabi Film Festival and starred the American actor.
The producer adds: "Being honoured with Richard Gere feels surreal, and can't wait to be in Venice to share this moment with him.
"I've worked with Richard on several films, and he has played a pivotal role in my film career. I launched my film production career in 2012 with Arbitrage and we have had a long-lasting friendship."
This is not the only time Saudi Arabia's film industry has been highlighted at the Venice International Film Festival.
As part of the 2022 event, the Red Sea International Film Festival and Vanity Fair celebrated the influential career of six Arab women filmmakers and actors in a gala event.
The recipients included three Saudi film personalities – director Haifa Al Mansour, actress and director Ahd Kamel and actress Sumaya Rida.
Last month the Venice Film Festival, which is taking place from August 28 to September 7, announced the films screening at the event.
While no films from Mena feature in the main competition category, regional titles will be seen in other competitive fields including Aicha by Tunisian filmmaker Mehdi Barsaoui and Seeking Haven for Mr Rambo by Egyptian director Khaled Mansour.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Guns N’ Roses’s last gig before Abu Dhabi was in Hong Kong on November 21. We were there – and here’s what they played, and in what order. You were warned.
- It’s So Easy
- Mr Brownstone
- Chinese Democracy
- Welcome to the Jungle
- Double Talkin’ Jive
- Better
- Estranged
- Live and Let Die (Wings cover)
- Slither (Velvet Revolver cover)
- Rocket Queen
- You Could Be Mine
- Shadow of Your Love
- Attitude (Misfits cover)
- Civil War
- Coma
- Love Theme from The Godfather (movie cover)
- Sweet Child O’ Mine
- Wichita Lineman (Jimmy Webb cover)
- Wish You Were Here (instrumental Pink Floyd cover)
- November Rain
- Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden cover)
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan cover)
- Nightrain
Encore:
- Patience
- Don’t Cry
- The Seeker (The Who cover)
- Paradise City
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Details
Through Her Lens: The stories behind the photography of Eva Sereny
Forewords by Jacqueline Bisset and Charlotte Rampling, ACC Art Books
Iran's dirty tricks to dodge sanctions
There’s increased scrutiny on the tricks being used to keep commodities flowing to and from blacklisted countries. Here’s a description of how some work.
1 Going Dark
A common method to transport Iranian oil with stealth is to turn off the Automatic Identification System, an electronic device that pinpoints a ship’s location. Known as going dark, a vessel flicks the switch before berthing and typically reappears days later, masking the location of its load or discharge port.
2. Ship-to-Ship Transfers
A first vessel will take its clandestine cargo away from the country in question before transferring it to a waiting ship, all of this happening out of sight. The vessels will then sail in different directions. For about a third of Iranian exports, more than one tanker typically handles a load before it’s delivered to its final destination, analysts say.
3. Fake Destinations
Signaling the wrong destination to load or unload is another technique. Ships that intend to take cargo from Iran may indicate their loading ports in sanction-free places like Iraq. Ships can keep changing their destinations and end up not berthing at any of them.
4. Rebranded Barrels
Iranian barrels can also be rebranded as oil from a nation free from sanctions such as Iraq. The countries share fields along their border and the crude has similar characteristics. Oil from these deposits can be trucked out to another port and documents forged to hide Iran as the origin.
* Bloomberg
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UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm)
Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (7pm)
Southampton v Manchester United (7pm)
Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
Swansea City v Watford (7pm)
Leicester City v Liverpool (8.30pm)
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)
Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)
SUZUME
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
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Rating: 4/5
RESULT
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Manchester City 2
Aguero (20')
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