At the 81st Venice International Film Festival, the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) honored Saudi film producer, businessman, and philanthropist Mohammed Al-Turki with the prestigious Philanthropic Leadership Award.
Photo: Instagram.com/moalturki
The award was presented during amfAR Venezia, a gala event held on September 1, in recognition of Al-Turki’s significant contributions to both the film industry and charitable endeavors.
Al-Turki, a prominent figure in global cinema — and Vogue Arabia’s January 2022 cover star — is known for producing Hollywood hits such as Arbitrage starring Richard Gere, 99 Homes with Andrew Garfield, and Crisis featuring Gary Oldman. His impact on the film industry extends beyond his production credits; as the former CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation, Al-Turki played a pivotal role in elevating the Red Sea International Film Festival to a major event on the global film calendar. Under his leadership, the festival grew to attract over 35,000 visitors and supported 250 projects from Saudi Arabia, the MENA region, and Asia across its first three editions.
In addition to his contributions to cinema, Al-Turki has been a champion for women in the film industry, launching the “Women in Cinema” initiative at the Red Sea Film Festival in 2021. He also partnered with Vanity Fair Europe to host high-profile galas in Cannes, Venice, and Jeddah. His efforts earned him the title of GQ Middle East’s 2022 Man of the Year.
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AmfAR, which has raised nearly $900 million since its founding in 1985, acknowledged Al-Turki’s dedication to the cause in a statement on Instagram, praising the Red Sea Film Festival’s support of their work. Al-Turki expressed his gratitude on social media, stating, “I feel very humbled and very appreciative. I believe so much in amfAR’s work and will do whatever I can until there is a cure for HIV and AIDS.”
Reflecting on the honor of receiving the Philanthropic Leadership Award, Al-Turki added, “This award is surreal. I am honored to share this moment in Venice with my film and chosen family, and with a true icon, Mr. Richard Gere, who will receive amfAR’s Award of Inspiration.”
Al-Turki also took to Instagram to share his emotions from the night, writing, “Touched and Humbled … so much love last night and what a surprise to see all those video messages from my friends and family play out on screen right before accepting the Philanthropic Leadership Award! Thank you @amfar for all that you do! I will continue to work closely to find a cure to HIV and hopefully end this epidemic #amfAR.”
The 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival continues until September 7.
