‘About Love & September Laws,’ The Next Feature From ‘Goodbye Julia’ Filmmaker Mohamed Kordofani, Among Red Sea Souk Award Winners

Sudanese filmmaker Mohamed Kordofani was among the big winners this evening at the Red Sea Film Festival’s industry Souk Awards, with his project About Love & September Laws.

The Souk awards provide support for projects at various stages of creation, including development, production, and post-production. About Love & September Laws won three awards this evening, including the 25,000 USD Red Sea Souk Development Award, which is awarded by the Red Sea Souk Projects in Development Jury.

About Love & September Laws is said to be the story of a love triangle set in 1980s Sudan. The project is based on real events. Producers currently on the project are Khalid Awad and Kordofani. The project would mark Kordofani’s first return to feature filmmaking since Goodbye Julia, which was the first Sudanese film to play at Cannes in 2023. Goodbye Julia screened in the Un Certain Regard Competition and was chosen as Sudan’s Best International Feature Film Oscar submission. 

Other big winners this evening included Palestinian filmmaker Maha Haj, who won two awards with her latest project, Playhouse, including the 80,000 USD Red Sea Souk Production Award. 

Playhouse will be Haj’s first feature since Mediterranean Fever (2022), which also played the Un Certain Regard Competition at Cannes. 

Scroll down to read the full list of Souk winners. 

Discussing the Souk’s work, Holly Daniel, Director of the Red Sea Souk, said: “The Souk’s Project Market is a vital part of our industry strand that champions the next generation of storytellers, and we have seen projects with incredible potential in our Awards this evening. It’s a testament to the importance of supporting these filmmakers that in this fifth edition of the festival, we’re seeing projects like Zain Duraie’s Sink and Cyril Aris’s A Sad And Beautiful World that were supported by the Souk now competing in our main Features Competition. Along with our Award partners, we are thrilled to be celebrating these talented filmmakers as we conclude this edition of our thriving programme.”

Arab Cinema Center (ACC)

1 supported place for an Arab producer on the International Film Festival Rotterdam

Producers Lab 2026

Awarded by Arab Cinema Center

Winner: Fahd Samman producer of DHEL

Arab Radio and Television Network (ART)

2 x ART Award for one Saudi Project with a Production Grant $50,000 for a Project in

Development or Production

Awarded by ART

Winner: A NOBLE DEPARTURE

Winner: DHEL

ART Award for one Arab Project with a Production Grant $50,000 for a Project in

Development or Production

Awarded by ART

Winner: PLAYHOUSE by Maha Haj

BLUE BEE PRODUCTIONS

Blue Bee Productions Award for one project with an amount of $10,000

Awarded by Blue Bee Productions

Winner: POSITIVE by Hanaa Saleh Alfassi

CNC

CNC Award for one project with an amount of €10,000 ($11,600 equivalent)

Awarded by the Red Sea Souk Projects in Development Jury

Winner: THE DAUGHTER by Tian Guan

DTS

DTS in-kind award consisting of sound post-production worth the equivalent of $30,000

Awarded by DTS

Winner: DHEL by Dania Altayeb

Filmmore

Filmmore in-kind award consisting of a full digital intermediate for a feature film worth

$32,500

Awarded by Filmmore

Winner: BEN’IMANA by Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo

Freshly Ground Stories & Fineprint

Two In-Kind Awards of Professional Business and Legal support worth $5,000.

Awarded by Freshly Ground Stories

Winner: TO CATCH A FALLING SKY by Cheta Chukwu

Winner: PHILAX by Ruken Tekes

Habbar

Habbar cash $10,000 plus in-kind award worth $40,000 for marketing services

Awarded by Habbar

Winner: GREEN CORPSE by Khalid Zidan

ITHRA

Ithra cash award of 50,000 SAR ($13,333 USD) for a Saudi project

Awarded by Ithra

Winner: GREEN CORPSE by Khalid Zidan

LEYTH PRODUCTION & EASY DISTRIBUTION

Leyth Production in-kind award for editing worth 50,000 USD.

Awarded by Leyth Production

Winner: ABOUT LOVE AND SEPTEMBER LAWS by Mohamed Kordofani

Easy Distribution in-kind award for Film distribution in Tunisia equivalent to $10,000

Awarded by Easy Distribution

Winner: THE PRODIGAL SON by Rani Massalha

MAD Solutions

MAD Solutions in-kind award worth 50,000 USD as MG dedicated to world sales rights

Awarded by MAD Solutions

Winner: INFIDELS by Eli Jean Tahchi

OTICONS

One in-kind Award worth 10,000 USD consisting of Music Consulting services

Awarded by Oticons

Winner: RIA by Arvin Belarmino