Highlights
- The Red Sea International Film Festival will not take place in 2026
- The festival has been postponed to the fourth quarter of 2027
- Organisers cited the timing and logistical requirements of staging the international event
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival will not take place this year, with organisers announcing that the 2026 edition has been postponed to the fourth quarter of 2027.
The festival was scheduled to take place from December 3 to 12 in Jeddah. However, the Red Sea Film Foundation said the decision followed a review of the festival’s timing and the logistical requirements involved in hosting an international event of its scale.
The announcement means the festival will skip its 2026 edition, although its wider film and cultural programmes are set to continue.
Why has the Red Sea Film Festival been postponed?
According to the Red Sea Film Foundation, the decision was made after reviewing the timing of the festival alongside the logistical requirements of staging the event.
The foundation did not provide further details about the specific logistical issues behind the decision.
The organisers said they remain committed to delivering the festival experience and will return with the next edition in the fourth quarter of 2027.
What happens to the festival’s other programmes?
Although the main festival will not take place in 2026, the Red Sea Film Foundation said its year-round initiatives will continue.
These include activities through the Red Sea Fund and Red Sea Labs, which support filmmakers and film projects.
From November 2026, the foundation also plans to begin year-round programming at Culture Square in Historic Jeddah, extending its film and cultural activities beyond the annual festival.
Red Sea Film Festival’s growing role in Saudi cinema
The Red Sea International Film Festival was founded in 2019, with its first edition taking place in 2020.
Its launch came after Saudi Arabia lifted a 35-year ban on commercial cinemas, marking a major change for the country’s film industry.
The Jeddah-based festival has since become an international meeting point for filmmakers, actors and industry figures from Saudi Arabia and around the world.
The postponement means the festival will now return in 2027, while its foundation continues its film initiatives throughout 2026.
