The Red Sea International Film Festival Foundation announced that it was postponing its sixth edition, which had been scheduled to take place in Jeddah from 3 to 12 December 2026, to the final quarter of 2027, following a review of considerations related to the event’s timing and logistical requirements.
The new date coincides with the year in which the Dubai International Film Festival will return after a 10-year hiatus. In a statement issued on Monday, the foundation said the postponement followed a “comprehensive review” of several considerations related to the timing of the forthcoming edition, foremost among them the logistical requirements for organising an international event of this scale.
Festival postpones sixth edition to 2027
It confirmed that the sixth edition would take place in 2027 with “a renewed vision”, through a programme that would continue to celebrate cinema and filmmakers from Saudi Arabia, the region and the world. The statement gave only the final quarter of 2027 as a general timeframe for the postponed edition, without announcing a precise start date.
The decision came as the Gulf and Middle East were experiencing military tensions, but the foundation did not link the postponement to these developments, limiting the reasons it gave to considerations related to timing and logistical arrangements. The announcement followed weeks of uncertainty over whether the 2026 edition would be held amid regional tensions.
Preparations had reached an advanced stage before the decision was taken, with the submission period for films wishing to participate closed and the period for submitting festival accreditation applications also concluded. The postponement of the Red Sea festival took on added significance because it was announced only four days after the Dubai Media Council announced the return of the Dubai International Film Festival.
Dubai festival’s return reshapes the Gulf film season
The 15th edition of the Dubai festival is due to open on 8 December 2027, after it was absent from the scene since its 14th edition was held in 2017. The Dubai International Film Festival was first launched in 2004 and, over 14 editions, became one of the region’s leading film platforms before it was suspended.
Its planned return comes with a new vision giving particular attention to Middle Eastern cinema and its filmmakers, amid the changes that have affected the film industry during its absence.
Mona Ghanem Al Marri, vice-chair and managing director of the Dubai Media Council, said when the festival’s return was announced that the aim was not to restore the previous model as it had been, but to build on the festival’s legacy while taking into account changes in the film industry, as well as the new ambitions of filmmakers in the region. Under the concept announced by the Dubai Media Council, the festival’s new format will not be limited to film screenings, but will include a platform specialising in the film industry.
The platform will connect directors with producers, talent with investors, and ideas with markets, enabling the development of new projects and the creation of sector-related partnerships. The first edition after the Dubai festival’s resumption will focus on films from the Middle East and the creatives working in the region, while seeking to expand the presence of regional film production among audiences and in global markets.
The Dubai festival will thus return to the film calendar in the same year that the Red Sea festival resumes its editions after skipping 2026. The two festivals’ appearance in the 2027 calendar does not mean they will take place at the same time.
While the Dubai festival has set 8 December as the opening date of its 15th edition, the Red Sea Foundation has so far designated only the final quarter of the year as the timeframe for its sixth edition, leaving the final arrangement of the Gulf film season dependent on the announcement of the detailed date in Jeddah.
Red Sea programmes to continue outside the main edition
Alongside the postponement of the main edition, the Red Sea Foundation confirmed that its activities and programmes would continue throughout the year. They include the Red Sea Fund and the Red Sea Labs, as well as other initiatives aimed at supporting filmmakers, developing the film industry and connecting talent working in the region with the international film sector.
The foundation also announced plans to launch a permanent programme in “Culture Square” in Historic Jeddah, beginning in November 2026. The programme will include film screenings and cultural events, alongside specialised programmes in filmmaking, with the foundation to announce details of the activities and their schedule at a later date.
The Red Sea festival has strengthened its presence on the international film scene in recent editions, while supporting Arab, African and Asian film projects. The 2025 edition saw extensive international participation, while the Red Sea Souk, the festival’s film-industry arm, attracted representatives of major companies including Netflix, Amazon, Disney and MBC.
Setting the final date for the 2027 Red Sea edition will clarify the festivals’ scheduling arrangements and whether their events will be held close together during December, or whether each will retain a separate period within the regional and international film calendars.
