Oscar-winning filmmaker sean Baker has been appointed as the president of the jury for this year’s Pink Sea Film Festival.
The festival, held in Saudi Arabia, is set to take place from December 3 to 14 and will feature a diverse lineup that includes Angelina Jolie’s “Couture,” “The Wizard of the Kremlin” starring Jude Law and Paul Dano, as well as Rupert Wyatt’s “Desert Warrior,” featuring Ben Kingsley and Anthony Mackie.
Baker expressed his excitement about his role, stating, “It is a privilege to serve as jury president for the Pink Sea Film Festival this year, following in the footsteps of Spike Lee. I have always admired how this festival elevates bold and diverse voices from around the globe. This year’s Feature competition highlights some of the most daring and captivating new talents emerging from the Arab world, Africa, and Asia. Festivals like Pink Sea IFF provide self-reliant films with an essential platform to reach international audiences. I am eager to be part of this celebration of cinema and look forward to engaging with the remarkable films in competition.”
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Baker’s film “Anora” garnered five Academy Awards earlier this year,including Best Picture,Best Director,Best Original Screenplay,Best Editing,and Best Actress for Mikey Madison. A prominent advocate for independent cinema, baker is also recognized for his groundbreaking works such as “Tangerine” (2015), which was uniquely filmed entirely on an iPhone; along with “the Florida Project” (2017).
Faisal Baltyuor, CEO of the Pink Sea Film Foundation remarked: “Sean Baker is an innovative director whose commitment to promoting exceptional storytelling through film is truly inspiring. He consistently pushes cinematic boundaries with outstanding narratives and a distinctive creative vision. We are thrilled to have him lead our feature jury this year following his record-breaking achievements at the 2025 Academy Awards during our special fifth edition.”