Red Sea International Film Festival Skips 2026 as Sixth Edition Moves to Late 2027
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The Red Sea International Film Festival will not take place in 2026 as originally scheduled, after the Red Sea Film Foundation announced that the festival’s sixth edition has been postponed to the final quarter of 2027.
The event had been scheduled to run in Jeddah from Dec. 3 to Dec. 12, 2026. The foundation said the decision followed a comprehensive review of factors related to the timing of the next edition and the logistical requirements involved in staging an international festival of this scale.
The organization did not identify any additional specific reason for the postponement, nor did it officially link the decision to political or security developments in the region. Any such connection therefore remains outside the foundation’s stated explanation.
According to the foundation, the sixth edition will return in 2027 with a renewed vision, while its year-round initiatives supporting filmmakers and the wider industry will continue during the gap year.
Those programs include the Red Sea Fund, Red Sea Labs and other initiatives aimed at supporting filmmakers, developing talent and strengthening the regional film industry.
The foundation also announced plans for a continuing film and cultural program at Culture Square in Historic Jeddah beginning in November 2026, including screenings, cultural events and activities for film industry professionals.
The postponement removes the festival from the international film calendar for 2026, after it had developed over previous editions into a major regional platform bringing together filmmakers, actors, producers, distributors and industry executives from Saudi Arabia, the Middle East and around the world.
An exact date for the rescheduled 2027 edition has not yet been announced.
