Red Sea Film Festival Cancels 2026 Edition, Plans 2027 Return

The Red Sea Film Festival has cancelled its sixth edition, which had been scheduled for Dec. 3-12, 2026, and will instead return in the final quarter of 2027, according to Variety.

The announcement ends months of preparation for this year's event. Early work was already under way, with submissions for the sixth edition having opened in the spring.

The Red Sea Film Foundation said the decision followed a comprehensive review of timing considerations, including the logistical requirements of staging an international event of this scale, as reported by Variety. The organisation said the move reflects its commitment to holding the festival at the right time and under the right conditions.

Not everything is stopping. The Red Sea Fund, which provides financing to films, and Red Sea Labs, which trains emerging writers, directors and producers, will continue to operate. The foundation also plans to introduce year-round programming at Culture Square in Jeddah in November, described as a home for film screenings, cultural events and industry programmes.

There has been recent change at the top. Faisal Baltyuor was appointed chief executive of the Red Sea Foundation in May 2025, overseeing the festival alongside the Fund and Labs. General manager Shivani Pandya Malhotra left in June, and her post has yet to be filled.

The calendar around it is also shifting. The Dubai International Film Festival is set to return in December 2027, according to Deadline. That would place two major Gulf festivals back in the same season after a break.

For fans, this means no red carpet in December. The focus turns to the Jeddah programme in November, and then to a larger return in 2027.