Saudi film industry pioneer and founder of CineWaves Faisal Baltyuor has been appointed CEO Of the Red Sea Film Foundation. He will take over from Acting CEO Mohammed Asseri effective June 1st, 2025.
Baltyuor is a driving force in the Saudi film industry, having held posts as the first head of Ithra Cinema and the first CEO of the Saudi Film Council. He then founded and ran Saudi distributor CineWaves Films, one of KSA’s fastest growing distribution companies. He’s also held the post of CEO at Muvi Studios. More recently, he opened Riyadh’s first arthouse cinema, Cinehouse.
A producer for more than two decades, Baltyuor recently exec produced The Perfect Candidate, which was in official selection at the Venice International Film Festival, as well as Saudi box office phenomenon Sattar. He is also a producer on the Saudi Netflix Original From the Ashes, which ranked among the top 10 most-watched films across 40 countries. Additionally, he co-produced Mohamed Kordofani’s Goodbye Julia, which won the Prix de la Liberté at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023.
“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,” said Jomana Al-Rashid, Chairwoman of the Red Sea Film Foundation. “By elevating a new generation of talent, creativity, and stories from the Arab world, Africa, and Asia, we are harnessing the power of cinema to bridge cultures and inspire innovation. Today, we are delighted to welcome Faisal to this transformative journey. His visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to unlocking the boundless potential of emerging talent will fuel not only artistic excellence but also the sustainable growth of our industry. We also extend our deepest gratitude to Mohammed Asseri for his steadfast leadership and pivotal contributions during his tenure as Acting CEO.”
Baltyuor added: “I am deeply honoured to assume the position 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 secured its place on the global festival map, and we are committed to building on this success. Through our diverse programmes, we will continue to support a thriving film industry both locally and internationally, in line with the ambitions of Vision 2030, which places the creative sector at the heart of national development.”
