Film lovers, mark your calendars! Red Sea International Film Festival is back to Jeddah for its fifth edition, running from December 4 to 13, 2025. Every year, this event transforms Al-Balad into a hub for storytelling, creativity, and global talent, and this one looks just as promising.
Dedicated to celebrating diversity and innovation, the festival brings together filmmakers from around the world alongside fresh Saudi voices shaping the country’s cinematic scene. Whether you love thought-provoking dramas or quick, punchy shorts, there’s plenty to discover across its packed schedule.
Red Sea International Film Festival 2025: Line-up of Films
The festival will open with the Middle East premiere of ‘Giant,’ a boxing biopic directed by Rowan Athale. The film stars Amir El Masry as Prince Naseem Hamed, the British-Yemeni featherweight champion, with famous Pierce Brosnan portraying his trainer.
Here are other highlights of the festival in each category:
Red Sea: Competition
- ‘A Sad and Beautiful World‘ by Cyril Aris
- ‘All That’s Left of You‘ by Cherien Dabis
- ‘Allah Is Not Obliged‘ by Zaven Najjar
- ‘Barni‘ by Mohammed Sheikh
- ‘Black Rabbit, White Rabbit‘ by Shahram Mokri
Regional and International Collaborations
- ”Hijra by Shahad Ameen”Hijra by Shahad Ameen
- ‘Lost Land‘ by Akio Fujimoto
- ‘Nighttime Sounds‘ by Zhang Zhongchen
- ‘Sink‘ by Zain Duraie
- ‘The Stories‘ by Abu Bakr Shawky
- ‘Two Seasons, Two Strangers‘ by Sho Miyake
- ‘Unidentified‘ by Haifaa Al Mansour
- ‘Wedding Rehearsal‘ by Amira Diab
International Spectacular
- ‘Couture‘ by Alice Winocour (with Angelina Jolie)
- ‘Desert Warrior‘ by Rupert Wyatt
- ‘Farruquito – A Flamenco Dynasty‘ by Santi Aguado and Reuben Atlas
- ‘Scarlet‘ by Mamoru Hosoda (anime)
- ‘The Wizard of the Kremlin‘ by Olivier Assayas (with Paul Dano and Jude Law)
Special Screenings
- ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab‘ by Kaouther Ben Hania
- ‘Sirat‘ by Oliver Laxe
Red Sea International Film Festival 2025: Celebrity Guests
In 2025, several American, Arab, and Bollywood cinema icons will walk the famous red carpet and join the event as judges and mentors, among them:
- Adrien Brody, the Academy Award-winning actor known for ‘The Pianist‘ and ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel.’ He will be hosting a master class and an in-conversation session with his fans on December 6 at 5:30 PM
- Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, the Indian actress and former Miss World (famous for her roles in ‘Devdas‘ and ‘Jodhaa Akbar‘), will hold a special in-conversation session on December 4 at 2:30 PM
- Giancarlo Esposito, the American actor renowned for his iconic role as Gus Fring in ‘Breaking Bad‘ and ‘Better Call Saul,’ will mentor emerging Arab creators at SeriesLab
- Sean Baker, the Oscar-winning director (known for ‘The Florida Project‘ and ‘Anora‘), will chair the festival’s Feature Competition and lead a master class
Red Sea International Film Festival 2025: Exclusive In-Conversations with Fans
These exclusive sessions offer a unique opportunity to hear from some of the biggest stars in the entertainment world and get insights into their careers, creative processes, and personal experiences.
- Kirsten Dunst, famous as MJ Watson in ‘Spider-Man‘ and the star of ‘Melancholia‘, on December 4 at 12:45 PM
- Nina Dobrev, the Canadian actress known for for portraying Elena Gilbert and Katherine Pierce in ‘The Vampire Diaries‘ TV series, on December 4 at 4:15 PM
- Jessica Alba, who is known for ‘Sin City‘ and ‘Fantastic Four‘, on December 5 at 3 PM
- Dakota Johnson, the American actress (famous for ‘Fifty Shades of Grey‘), on December 5 at 4:45 PM
- Mila Al Zahrani, the Saudi actress (notable for ‘The Perfect Candidate‘), on December 7 at 12:30 PM
- Sigourney Weaver, the American actress famous for ‘Alien‘ and ‘Avatar,’ on December 10 at 2 PM
Visitors of Red Sea International Film Festival 2025 can also expect short film showcases, workshops, and talks with directors and producers.
If you’re into big international events and celebrity appearances, you’ll be pleased to know that Spanish Super Cup is also heading back to Jeddah in January 2026, with top clubs like Barcelona and Real Madrid coming to KSA.
Stay tuned, and you won’t miss any world-class events lighting up Jeddah’s calendar.
