Elie Saab to Mr Rambo: Arab designers, stars and movies at Venice Film Festival

Several celebrities made their red-carpet turn in outfits by Lebanese designers

Stella Maxwell in Elie Saab Haute Couture at Venice Film Festival. All photos: Getty Images

Rumer Willis in Georges Chakra Haute Couture

Josephine Skriver in a slimline dress by Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad

Mara Lafontan in Rami Kadi

Giulia Gaudino in Rami Kadi

From gripping dramas to designer gowns, Venice Film Festival is awash with Arab talent. Egyptian production Seeking Haven for Mr Rambo and Tunisian movie Aicha both screened this week, while fashion creatives such as Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad added flair to the red carpet.

Mr Rambo is particularly significant as it's the first Egyptian film in 12 years to be shown at the festival. It is a powerful tale of a thirty-something man called Hassan (played by Essam Omar) who tries to save his dog Rambo from a vengeful landlord. It was directed by Khaled Mansour, who arrived with Omar for the premiere alongside one of the dogs that played Rambo.

The film was supported by the Red Sea Fund and developed by the Red Sea Lodge, both of which fall under the umbrella of the Red Sea Film Foundation.

Elsewhere, Arab designers made a strong showing on the red carpet, especially at an Aids research fundraising event. Also presented by the Red Sea International Film Festival, guests at the amfAR event included American actress Rumer Willis – the eldest daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore – who wore a complex draped chocolate brown dress by Georges Chakra Haute Couture.

Model Stella Maxwell donned a shimmering salmon pink look by Elie Saab Haute Couture to the fundraiser, while Danish model Josephine Skriver opted to wear a look by Zuhair Murad, which was a severely simple strapless column dress, adorned with a high-waisted silver beaded belt.

Elsewhere at the festival, Italian digital creator Giulia Gaudino wore a beaded, champagne-coloured look by Lebanese designer Rami Kadi for the screening of The Order, while influencer Mara Lafontan wore a feathered, strapless dress in pale pink to the red carpet of I'm Still Here by the same designer.