Films backed by Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Foundation triumph at Berlinale

Updated 26 February 2026

Arab News

February 26, 2026 15:35

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DUBAI: Three films supported by Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Foundation — “Tetes Brulees,” “The Heart is a Muscle,” and “Yalla Parkour” — were honored with awards at the Berlin International Film Festival, also known as Berlinale.

“The Heart Is a Muscle” was awarded the prestigious Ecumenical Jury Prize in the Panorama section. The film follows Ryan, whose five-year-old son briefly goes missing at a barbecue. His violent reaction to the incident sets off a chain of events, unearthing long-buried secrets and sparking a journey of self-discovery.

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“Yalla Parkour” won the Panorama Documentary Audience Award (Second Prize). In her debut feature, filmmaker Areeb Zuaiter returns to Gaza, a place she first visited at age four with her Palestinian mother. After her mother's passing, a deep nostalgia for her homeland resurfaces when she comes across a video of young men in Gaza practicing parkour amid the chaos of explosions.

“Tetes Brulees” received a Special Mention for Best Film in the youth-focused Generation 14plus category. The film tells the story of 12-year-old Eya, who struggles to cope with the sudden loss of her older brother, Younes. Through resilience and the support of Younès' friends, she navigates the intense grieving process.

Additionally, “The Sun Sees Everything,” a new film in development by Wissam Tanios and produced by Christian Eid, won the World Cinema Fund Audience Strategies Award at the Berlinale Co-Production Market.