Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Adrien Brody and Rekha to headline star-studded event
From Sean Baker to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Saudi Arabia will be a cinematic playground
Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival opens its fifth edition on December 4th in Jeddah, transforming the city into a dazzling playground where cinema is the currency and Hollywood, Arab and Bollywood icons share the same red carpet.
This year’s lineup, as always, is star-studded, with filmmakers, power players and icons — from Sean Baker to Adrien Brody and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan — turning the Red Sea coast into a magnet for film industry buzz.
Gulf News Entertainment Editor Manjusha Radhakrishnan will be on the ground, covering the festival from the grounds ... Here's all you need to know about the star-studded celebration of cinema and icons ...
Q: Which film is opening this year’s Red Sea International Film Festival and how long is the fest?
A: The festival, which runs from December 4 to 13, opens with the Middle East premiere of 'Giant' Rowan Athale’s boxing biopic starring Amir El Masry as British-Yemeni featherweight icon Prince Naseem Hamed, with Pierce Brosnan playing his trainer. It’s an out-of-competition choice that communicates ambition: a global film about a multicultural sports legend, presented in a country shaping its own cinematic identity.
Q: Why is the Red Sea International Film Festival important?
A: Because it fills a vacuum. When Dubai and Abu Dhabi s film festivals called it a day, the Middle East lost its main cultural showcases—spaces where filmmakers, studios and distributors could meet, compete and be discovered. Red Sea brings that ecosystem back. It doesn’t just screen films; it creates a pipeline. It funds projects, mentors first-time directors, attracts global buyers and connects Arab talent to Hollywood and Bollywood. Without a hub like this, regional cinema becomes isolated. Red Sea is saying: the Middle East isn’t a side story anymore—it’s part of the main conversation. As Managing director Shivani Pandya Malhotra believes: "Saudi is “the biggest market in the MENA region."
Q: Why is “Giant”, the opening film, such a strategic move?
A: According to festival organisers, the opening film embodies its “East meets West” mission. According to Red Sea Foundation CEO Faisal Baltyuor, the film reflects how the festival bridges cultures, markets, and audiences. The foundation isn’t just a presenter — it’s an ecosystem. It runs the Red Sea Souk industry market, the Red Sea Fund, and year-round labs designed to grow the Saudi and regional screen economy.
Q: Are there other heavy hitters on the ground?
A: Absolutely.
Adrien Brody returns for a master class and an in-conversation session with his fans
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, a former Miss World and Bollywood icon, will also give a session.
Giancarlo Esposito — forever Gus Fring from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul — is coming to mentor emerging Arab creators at SeriesLab, part of the Red Sea Labs program aimed at developing TV writers and producers.
Q: What movies are competing for awards this year?
A: The competition includes films from Asia, Africa, and the Arab world, with seven titles funded by the Red Sea Film Foundation. Key entries include:
“Hijra” by Shahad Ameen, a generational road movie about Saudi women crossing the desert — also Saudi Arabia’s official Oscar submission.
“A Sad and Beautiful World” by Cyril Aris, a love story spanning three decades in Beirut — Lebanon’s Oscar contender.
“Sink” by Zain Duraie, a psychological drama following a mother grappling with her son’s declining mental state.
“Roqia” by Yanis Koussim, an Algerian horror title expanding the region’s film language beyond prestige dramas.
Q: Who is presiding over the jury?
A: Sean Baker, the Oscar-winning director of “Anora.” The independent filmmaking maverick who once turned an iPhone movie into a cultural moment is now chairing the festival’s Feature Competition. And he isn’t just judging — he’s teaching. He will host a master class in Jeddah.
Q: What about the festival’s big, glossy showcase?
A: The International Spectacular strand is designed for cinematic fireworks. It includes:
“Couture” led by Angelina Jolie, directed by Alice Winocour.
“Scarlet”, the latest anime from Mamoru Hosoda, inspired by Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
“The Wizard of the Kremlin” by Olivier Assayas, with Paul Dano and Jude Law.
“Farruquito: A Flamenco Story,” a Spanish documentary on a dance dynasty.
“Desert Warrior” by Rupert Wyatt, starring Anthony Mackie, Ben Kingsley, and British-Saudi actress Aiysha Hart.
Q: Why is “Desert Warrior” being talked about so much?
A: Because it is widely considered Saudi Arabia’s first Hollywood-style tentpole. Produced by MBC Studios, Jeremy Bolt (Resident Evil), and Stuart Ford’s AGC Studios, it follows a princess who refuses to be in tyrannical emperor's personal life, triggering the Battle of Ze Qar. It’s spectacle on Saudi soil — a cinematic statement that local filmmaking can play in the blockbuster sandbox.
Q: Bollywood legend Rekha will also attend the fest. What movie is she showcasing?
A: Bollywood legend Rekha is in town for a rare international screening of the freshly restored Umrao Jaan, a cinematic moment purists will drool over. Add Sean Baker, Adrien Brody and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to the mix, and it’s fireworks.
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