Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival is set to return for its fifth edition, welcoming international stars to Jeddah from December 4 to 13. The event will once again be hosted at its headquarters in Al-Balad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The 2024 festival attracted over 40,000 attendees and nearly 7,000 accredited guests, showcasing 122 films from 85 countries. With 302 screenings, half of the featured films were world or international premieres, including 46 world premieres, 15 international premieres, and 53 MENA premieres.
Al-Balad’s festival headquarters includes five purpose-built cinemas and a large auditorium, providing space for screenings and celebrity-led discussions. The 2024 edition was presided over by filmmaker Spike Lee, with juries evaluating entries across 14 competition categories, including feature films and short films from the Arab world, Asia, and Africa.
The red carpet in previous years has hosted renowned figures such as Emily Blunt, Viola Davis, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Johnny Depp, Michelle Yeoh, and Vin Diesel, among others. With its growing global recognition, the festival continues to establish itself as a major hub for cinema and cultural exchange in the region.
