The Red Sea Film Foundation has announced the postponement of the sixth edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival, originally scheduled to take place in December in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The festival will now be held in the fourth quarter of 2027, according to the foundation, which announced the decision on Monday.
The postponement comes amid heightened regional tensions, including missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Saudi Arabia. However, the foundation did not directly link the decision to the security situation, citing the timing and logistical requirements involved in organising an international event of its scale.
The continuing hostilities have also raised concerns about security along the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a major international shipping route off the coast of Yemen.
The Red Sea International Film Festival is one of Saudi Arabia’s major international cultural events, attracting filmmakers, actors and other entertainment industry figures from around the world to Jeddah.
The foundation said its year-round initiatives, including the Red Sea Fund and Red Sea Labs, would continue despite the postponement.
It also plans to begin programming at Culture Square in Historic Jeddah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in November.
The festival forms part of Saudi Arabia’s broader drive to expand its cultural and entertainment industries, with the kingdom investing heavily in sectors including film, gaming and sports as part of its economic transformation agenda.
