2025 Red Sea International Film Festival

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Red Sea International Film Festival
مهرجان البحر الأحمر السينمائي الدولي
Location Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Founded2019
Hosted by Red Sea Film Festival Foundation
Festival date4 December 2022 (2022-12-04)–13 December 2022 (2022-12-13)
LanguageArabic
English
Website RSFF
Red Sea International Film Festival
2026

The 2024 Red Sea International Film Festival took place from December 4 to 13, 2025, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and marked the fifth edition of the film festival. [1] It was held in the newly built Cultural Square venue in the Al-Balad district of Jeddah. [2]

Contents

The Red Sea jury was headed by Sean Baker; 16 films were selected for competition. [3]

In addition to screening films for competition, the film festival also hosted talks and discussions, galas and parties, and other events for the industry. [4]

Jury

Features

Official selection

The festival lineup was announced on November 4, 2025. [1] [6]

In Competition

TitleDirector(s)Production country
A Sad and Beautiful World Cyril Aris Lebanon, United States, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Qatar
All That's Left of You Cherien Dabis Germany, Greece, Jordan, Cyprus, Palestine
Allah Is Not Obliged Zaven Najjar France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Canada, Saudi Arabia
Barni Mohammed Sheikh Somalia, Djibouti, United States
Black Rabbit, White Rabbit Shahram Mokri Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates
Hijra Shahad Ameen Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt, United Kingdom
Irkalla: Gilgamesh's Dream Mohamed Al-Daradji Iraq, United Kingdom, France, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar
Lost Land Akio Fujimoto Japan, France, Malaysia, Germany
Nighttime Sounds Zhang Zhongchen China
Roqia Yanis Koussim France, Algeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia
Sink Zain Duraie Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, France
The Stories Abu Bakr Shawky Egypt, France, Austria, Sweden
The World of Love Yoon Ga-eun South Korea
Truck Mama Zippy Nyaruri Kenya, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands
Two Seasons, Two Strangers Shô Miyake Japan
Yunan Ameer Fakher Eldin Germany, Canada, Italy, Palestine, Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia

Arab Spectacular

TitleDirector(s)Production country
A Matter of Life and Death Anas Ba-Tahaf Saudi Arabia
Palestine 36 Annemarie Jacir Palestine, United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Norway, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan
The FakenappingAmine Lakhnech Saudi Arabia
Unidentified Haifaa al-Mansour Saudi Arabia
Wedding RehearsalAmira Diab Egypt

International Spectacular

TitleDirector(s)Production country
Couture Alice Winocour France, United States
Desert Warrior Rupert Wyatt Saudi Arabia
FarruquitoSanti Aguado, Reuben Atlas Spain, United States
Scarlet Mamoru Hosoda Japan
The Wizard of the Kremlin Olivier Assayas France

Shorts Competition

TitleDirector(s)Production country
With the WindInes Lehaire
CoyotesSaid Zagha
Jeem 1983Jorj Abou Mhaya
IrtizazSara Balghonaim
DroplessAnamika Pal
In the ValleyLim Han Loong
The Seventh MonthAizada Amangeldy
The Sea Remembers My NameHussein Hossam
Umbilical Cord (film)Ahmed Hassan Ahmed
VulturesDian Weys
What RemainsXiao Yan
Four Wise MonkeysXin Wang
Guardian of the WellBentley Brown, Tahir Mahamat Zene
Opening CeremonyHussain Al Mutlaq
She's SwimmingLiliane Rahal
The Men's Land Mariam Khatchvani
Beyond the MindLanya Nooralddin
Cold CallingYuzana Win
NsalaMickael-Sltan Mbanza
Our BrotherShandra Apondi
Quo Vadis, Meryem!Amine Zeriouh
What If They Bomb Here Tonight?Samir Syriani
Empty LandsKarim Eldin Elalfy

New Saudi Cinema Shorts

TitleDirector(s)Production country
The SceneLana Komsany
AzurAbdulwahab Bin Shaddad
AntagonistAbdulkarim Bawazir
Guardian of HistoryAli Alsumayin
Market DynamoAli Baqir Alabdullah
The Cradle Mamdouh Salem Baajajah
UnknownIbrahim Al-Bakiri
Ashura's VoiceZaki Alabdullah
EscKhaled Nadershah
The Golden FishMeria Saimaldeher
The Man Who Stumbled By His WordsMubarak Al-Zawba
First Funeral DayNawaf Al Hoshan
WajoomMaan Yeslam Al-Siari
SharshuraAhmed Alnasser
Business BagRwad Khalid
Midnight SnackAbdulmalik Bukhari
MubhamMuhannad Al Zahrani
Scream of An AntLujain Salaam
Serial WriterEslam Shaker, Khaled Abdelfatah
Moms Cry TooRmas Al Hazmi

New Vision

TitleDirector(s)Production country
Somewhere ElseHaya Alghanim
Early DaysPriyankar Patra
If I Had Legs I'd Kick You Mary Bronstein
In-I: In Motion Juliette Binoche
Rose of Nevada Mark Jenkin
The FinaleRodolphe Chedid
Cleanse the StreetsAysha Shahaltough
Jareesh SalamZahra Mohammed, Tala Alharbi
No Land in SightEiman Alkhalifa
Of Burning Memories & WoundsSuha Belal

Families and Children

TitleDirector(s)Production country
Doraemon: Nobita's Art World Tales Yukiyo Teramoto
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Derek Drymon
Ghost School Seemab Gul

Families and Children

TitleDirector(s)Production country
Aida Ahmed Badrakhan
Nashid al-Amal Ahmed Badrakhan
Silent Spectacular Charlie Chaplin, Leo McCarey
Spellbound Alfred Hitchcock
The Big Blue Luc Besson
Umrao Jaan Muzaffar Ali

Series

TitleDirector(s)Production country
El'Sardines Zoulikha Tahar

Special Screenings

TitleDirector(s)Production country
Human TideDavid Ward
Circles of LifeKhaled Al-Dusaimani
Beyond the Shifting SandsAbdullah Al-Hamdi
Seven SummitsAmir El-Shenawy
NoorOmar Almuqarri

Voices of Tomorrow

TitleDirector(s)Production country
Two Out of TenAbdulaziz Sultan Alzahrani
The Precious GiftAbdulrahman Sultan
AloneYazan Ahmad Eesa Qisi
Friends GameZeyad Khalid Bakoor
Just a ToneAacer Ayman Aladnani

Special Screenings

TitleDirector(s)Production country
The Voice of Hind Rajab Kaouther Ben Hania Tunisia, France
Sirāt Oliver Laxe Spain, France
Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair Quentin Tarantino

Awards

Award [7] Winner
Golden Yusr Award—Best Feature Film Lost Land, dir. Akio Fujimoto
Silver Yusr Award—Best Feature Film All That's Left of You , dir. Cherien Dabis
Film AlUla Audience Award—Best FilmMy Father's Scent, dir. Mohamed Siam
Film AlUla Audience Award—Best Saudi Film Hijra, dir. Shahad Ameen
Best DocumentaryIn-I: In Motion, dir. Juliette Binoche
Cinematic AchievementNighttime Sounds, dir. Zhang Zhongchen
Best Actor Georges Khabbaz for Yunan
Best ActressSeo Su-Bin for The World of Love
Best Screenplay A Sad and Beautiful World , written by Cyril Aris
Best Director Ameer Fakher Eldin for Yunan
Jury Prize Hijra, dir. Shahad Ameen
Golden Yusr—Best Short FilmCoyotes, dir. Said Zagha
Silver Yusr—Best Short FilmEmpty Lands, dir. Karim Eldin Elalfy
Short Special MentionJeem 1983, dir. Jorj Abou Mhaya

Weather

On December 9, 2025, torrential rains struck Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, prompting film festival organizers to notify attendees to "shelter in place" and suspend programming for the rest of the day. [8]

References

  1. 1 2 Goodfellow, Melanie (2025-11-04). "Prince Naseem Boxing Biopic 'Giant' To Open Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Film Festival As 2025 Lineup Unveiled". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  2. "Red Sea returns for 2024 edition with new purpose-built venue in heart of Jeddah". Screen. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  3. Goodfellow, Melanie (2025-11-13). "Sean Baker To Head Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Film Festival Jury". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  4. White, George (2025-12-02). "Red Sea International Film Festival reveals 'In Conversation With' speakers". British Cinematographer. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  5. Rosser, Michael. "'Anora' director Sean Baker on heading Red Sea's jury and next project plans". Screen. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  6. "Films 2025 – Red Sea Film". redseafilmfest.com. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  7. Rahman, Abid (2025-12-12). "Red Sea: 'Lost Land' Wins Top Prize, 'All That's Left of You' Takes Silver Yusr". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  8. Brzeski, Patrick (2025-12-09). "Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Film Festival Goes Into Emergency Shutdown Amid Torrential Rains". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-12-22.