The Red Sea International Film Festival unveils dates for its fifth edition

The Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF) announced the dates for its highly anticipated fifth edition, set to take place from December 4-13 in Al-Balad, historical Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Marking a major milestone, RSIFF’s fifth anniversary promises to build on its legacy of championing cinematic excellence, fostering creativity, and supporting filmmakers from the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

The announcement closely follows the success of RSIFF’s most attended edition yet, which kicked off with the world premiere of Karim Shenawi's “The Tale of Daye's Family”. Last year’s theme, ‘The New Home of Film,’ celebrated the festival’s return to Al Balad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and set the stage for its biggest edition yet driving impactful industry connections, groundbreaking deals, and new partnerships.

The 2024 festival saw record-breaking participation, with over 40,000 attendees and nearly 7,000 accredited guests, showcasing 122 films from 85 countries, including 61 premieres. A total of 178 screenings took place, with half of the films being world or international premieres, including 46 world premieres, 15 international premieres, and 53 MENA premieres. The success of this edition reinforced RSIFF’s growing impact as a major cultural and industry event.

Building on the festival’s success, the Red Sea Souk wrapped up a successful edition with 142 exhibiting companies, 40 Souk Talks speakers, and the Souk Project Market, which featured 24 projects in development or production and 7 works-in-progress in post-production by Arab, African, and Asian directors.

Presided over by Spike Lee, the festival’s two juries deliberated across 14 competition categories, with 16 feature films vying for top honours, alongside short films from the Arab world, Asia, and Africa featured in the New Saudi, New Cinema, and Arab Shorts programs.

The festival’s red carpet was a magnet for global stars, with this edition honoring Emily Blunt, Aamir Khan, Mona Zaki, Viola Davis, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Other notable attendees included Michelle Yeoh, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Johnny Depp, Yousra, Vin Diesel, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Cynthia Erivo, Brendan Fraser, Mohamed Sami, and many more.

The 2024 edition also hosted 25 In-Conversation sessions with renowned figures such as Aamir Khan, Emily Blunt, Cynthia Erivo, Brendan Fraser, Mohamed Sami, and Spike Lee, offering audiences a rare opportunity to engage with some of the biggest names in global cinema.

Furthering its commitment to nurturing talent, the Red Sea Fund has now supported +280 projects, including one Oscar-nominated film, solidifying its role as a vital force in the regional and international film industry.