Faisal Baltyuor, a key player in the burgeoning film industry of Saudi Arabia, has been appointed as the CEO of the Red Sea Foundation. This organization is responsible for overseeing the Red Sea International Film Festival, the Red Sea Fund, and the year-round Red Sea Labs initiative. He will officially step into this role on June 1, succeeding acting CEO Mohammed Asseri.

Baltyuor’s appointment is a strategic advancement for the foundation as it aims to propel Saudi Arabia’s cultural and cinematic growth. Since the historic lifting of the cinema ban in 2017, Baltyuor has been instrumental in shaping the national film landscape. He previously led Ithra Cinema, supported by Saudi Aramco, and later established CineWaves Films, which has become the leading distributor of Saudi content with the most extensive library of local films. Additionally, he directed Muvi Studios, the production arm of the kingdom’s largest cinema chain, and most recently launched Riyadh’s first arthouse cinema, Cinehouse.

As a producer, Baltyuor boasts a portfolio that includes some of Saudi Arabia’s most innovative films. He executive-produced Haifaa Al Mansour’s acclaimed feature The Perfect Candidate, which debuted at the Venice Film Festival in 2019, and the popular comedy Sattar. He also produced Netflix’s From the Ashes, a Saudi original that ranked among the top 10 most-watched films in over 40 countries, and co-produced Goodbye Julia, directed by Sudanese filmmaker Mohamed Kordofani, which won the Prix de la Liberté at Cannes in 2023.

In a statement, Red Sea Film Foundation Chairwoman Jomana Al-Rashid remarked: “From its inception, the Red Sea Film Foundation has been driven by a singular mission: to ignite a cinematic renaissance across Saudi Arabia and the broader region.”

She further expressed, “We are thrilled to welcome Faisal on this transformative journey. His visionary leadership and steadfast commitment to unlocking the immense potential of emerging talent will not only foster artistic excellence but also ensure the sustainable growth of our industry.”

Baltyuor shared his enthusiasm, stating: “I am truly honored to take on the role of CEO at the Red Sea Film Foundation, a leading institution at the forefront of Saudi Arabia’s cultural and cinematic evolution. In a remarkably short time, the foundation has established itself on the global festival map, and we are dedicated to building on this success. Through our diverse programs, we will continue to nurture a thriving film industry both locally and internationally, aligning with the ambitions of Vision 2030, which places the creative sector at the heart of national development.”

The upcoming fifth edition of the Red Sea Film Festival is set to take place from December 4-13 in Jeddah, along the eastern shore of the Red Sea.