The first Red Sea International Film Festival will take place in Saudi Arabia in November. Courtesy Red Sea International Film Festival
The first Red Sea International Film Festival will take place in Saudi Arabia in November. Courtesy Red Sea International Film Festival
The first Red Sea International Film Festival will take place in Saudi Arabia in November. Courtesy Red Sea International Film Festival
The first Red Sea International Film Festival will take place in Saudi Arabia in November. Courtesy Red Sea International Film Festival

Film

Saudi Arabia's first Red Sea Film Festival to open in November

It will be the kingdom's first international film festival following the lifting of the ban on cinemas

Hayley Skirka
Hayley Skirka

February 26, 2021

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  • Arabic

The inaugural edition of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival will take place in November.

The much anticipated event will be held in Jeddah's Old Town, and will be the kingdom's first international film festival.

Running over ten days, RedSeaFF will take place from November 11 to November 20.

The festival will highlight emerging talents from across Saudi Arabia and the Arab world. It comes after the opening of cinemas in the kingdom after a ban lasting nearly four decades was removed.

The festival had been scheduled to take place in March last year, but was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The new event will take place under the theme “Metamorphosis”.

Saudi Arabia lifted a decades-long ban on cinemas in December 2017. AFP PHOTO / FAYEZ NURELDINE
Saudi Arabia lifted a decades-long ban on cinemas in December 2017. AFP PHOTO / FAYEZ NURELDINE

“It reflects on the festival’s local context: the impact of cinema’s triumphant return to Saudi Arabia since 2019, as well as the blossoming local and regional film scenes, exploring how cinema culture can create an interface connecting a new, outward-looking Saudi and the world,” a statement from the festival read.

What to expect from the first RedSeaFF

Men drinking tea in the alleyways of Al Balad, Jeddah’s historical district. The World Heritage Site was founded in the seventh century and was once the beating heart of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’s second-largest city. The area was formed as an ancient trading port and acted as the primary gateway to Makkah. Today, it is famous for its traditional buildings, which were constructed with coral-stone and are decorated with intricate latticed windows. Reem Mohammed / The National
Men drinking tea in the alleyways of Al Balad, Jeddah’s historical district. The World Heritage Site was founded in the seventh century and was once the beating heart of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’s second-largest city. The area was formed as an ancient trading port and acted as the primary gateway to Makkah. Today, it is famous for its traditional buildings, which were constructed with coral-stone and are decorated with intricate latticed windows. Reem Mohammed / The National
A resident of Al Balad. Reem Mohammed / The National
A resident of Al Balad. Reem Mohammed / The National
The small, secluded balconies and windows are known as rawasheen: local stories say that these bay windows were once the place from which women would assess their would-be suitors. Shielded by the wooden shutters, they could see the men proposing marriage in the majlis below, and would decide yes or no, while retaining their privacy. Reem Mohammed / The National
The small, secluded balconies and windows are known as rawasheen: local stories say that these bay windows were once the place from which women would assess their would-be suitors. Shielded by the wooden shutters, they could see the men proposing marriage in the majlis below, and would decide yes or no, while retaining their privacy. Reem Mohammed / The National
The detail of a historical building in Al Balad. Reem Mohammed/The National
The detail of a historical building in Al Balad. Reem Mohammed/The National
Tea time in the alleyways of Al Balad. Reem Mohammed / The National
Tea time in the alleyways of Al Balad. Reem Mohammed / The National
A badge featuring Saudi Arabia's King and Crown Prince worn by an Al Balad resident. Reem Mohammed/The National
A badge featuring Saudi Arabia's King and Crown Prince worn by an Al Balad resident. Reem Mohammed/The National
Jeddah's Academy of Arts in Al Balad historical district. Reem Mohammed / The National
Jeddah's Academy of Arts in Al Balad historical district. Reem Mohammed / The National
Idris Mustafa from Sudan looks after Jeddah Academy of Arts in Al Balad. Reem Mohammed / The National
Idris Mustafa from Sudan looks after Jeddah Academy of Arts in Al Balad. Reem Mohammed / The National
A street market near Al Balad, Jeddah’s historical district. Reem Mohammed/The National
A street market near Al Balad, Jeddah’s historical district. Reem Mohammed/The National
Abu Inabah masjid in Al Balad. Reem Mohammed/The National
Abu Inabah masjid in Al Balad. Reem Mohammed/The National
You'll find palm trees dotted around the maze-like streets. Reem Mohammed/The National
You'll find palm trees dotted around the maze-like streets. Reem Mohammed/The National
The area was formed as an ancient trading port and acted as the primary gateway to Makkah. Today, it is famous for its traditional buildings, which were constructed with coral-stone and are decorated with intricate latticed windows. Reem Mohammed / The National
The area was formed as an ancient trading port and acted as the primary gateway to Makkah. Today, it is famous for its traditional buildings, which were constructed with coral-stone and are decorated with intricate latticed windows. Reem Mohammed / The National
Tea time in the alleyways of Al Balad. Reem Mohammed / The National
Tea time in the alleyways of Al Balad. Reem Mohammed / The National
The minaret of Masjid Al Farah in Al Balad. Reem Mohammed / The National
The minaret of Masjid Al Farah in Al Balad. Reem Mohammed / The National
Tea time in the alleyways of Al Balad. Reem Mohammed / The National
Tea time in the alleyways of Al Balad. Reem Mohammed / The National
Tea time in the alleyways of Al Balad. Reem Mohammed / The National
Tea time in the alleyways of Al Balad. Reem Mohammed / The National
The town was formed as an ancient trading port and acted as the primary gateway to Makkah. Today, it is famous for its traditional buildings, which were constructed with coral-stone and decorated with intricate latticed windows. Reem Mohammed / The National
The town was formed as an ancient trading port and acted as the primary gateway to Makkah. Today, it is famous for its traditional buildings, which were constructed with coral-stone and decorated with intricate latticed windows. Reem Mohammed / The National
A sculpture opposite Bab Jadid in Al Balad. Reem Mohammed / The National
A sculpture opposite Bab Jadid in Al Balad. Reem Mohammed / The National

Saudi's first film festival will take place in the cobbled streets of Al Balad, Jeddah's historic district.

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Detailing changes in the local cinemascape, the festival will also focus on the changing role of women in cinema.

It will be headed up by managing director Shivani Pandya and director of Arab programmes & film classics Antoine Khalife, both formerly of the Dubai International Film Festival.

Film critic Kaleem Aftab has joined as director of international programming and Jumana Zahid leads the Red Sea Lodge, the Red Sea Film Foundation’s incubator for local filmmakers.

International guests such as Spike Lee had been announced to attend the original festival dates in 2020. It's unclear how many overseas stars will attend in 2021 as international travel remains largely restricted.

Saudi filmmaker, Mahmoud Sabbagh, stepped down from his post as director of the Red Sea International Film Festival in July last year. The festival issued a statement confirming he left to pursue work on his third feature film.

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