Red Sea International Film Festival Postpones 2026 Event Until Late Next Year

Organisers have announced that the sixth Red Sea International Film Festival, originally scheduled to take place in Jeddah from December 3 to 12, has been postponed until the end of next year. The Red Sea Film Foundation stated that the decision followed a review of the festival's timing and the logistical requirements needed to stage an international event of its scale, without providing further specific reasons.

The announcement follows weeks of uncertainty regarding the 2026 festival amidst regional escalations across the Gulf and the wider Middle East stemming from the US-Iran war, as well as renewed conflict involving Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi group. However, the foundation did not officially link these conflicts to the postponement.

With film submissions already closed and the Red Sea Souk industry market previously set to run alongside the event, the change impacts Arab filmmakers who had planned regional premieres. Despite the postponement of the main event, the Red Sea Film Foundation confirmed that other initiatives, including the Red Sea Fund and Red Sea Labs, will continue throughout the year. Additionally, the foundation will launch year-round programming at Culture Square in Historic Jeddah starting in November to host film screenings and cultural events.