Red Sea Film Foundation Announces Six Women Honorees

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- Red Sea Film Foundation announced six honorees for its annual Women in Cinema Gala, to be held in Cannes at the Hotel Du Cap.
- Laïla Marrakchi (Morocco) – director of the Cannes‑screened debut “Marock” (2005) and two episodes of Netflix’s series “The Eddy” – is among the honorees.
- Genevieve Nnaji (Nigeria) – actress‑producer whose film “Lionheart” became Netflix’s first Nigerian acquisition and Nigeria’s Oscar submission – is honored.
- Tara Sutaria (India) – classically trained vocalist and ballerina turned actress, known for “Student of the Year 2” and upcoming film “Toxic” (2026) – is a honoree.
- Marie‑Clementine Dusabejambo (Rwanda) – filmmaker who won the Tribeca Film Institute script competition and earned awards at Carthage, joins fellow African honorees Kamila Andani (Indonesia) and Aixa Kay (Saudi Arabia), marking the gala’s first year with three African spotlight honorees.
Why it matters: Six honorees, including three African women, gain global exposure that can translate into new financing and distribution deals, expanding the market for diverse cinema and encouraging investors to back female‑led projects.




