The Red Sea International Film Festival has cancelled its sixth edition, scheduled for 3–12 December 2026, and will return in the fourth quarter of 2027. Organisers cited logistical and timing considerations, while the year-long pause is also expected to support a reorganisation following the departure of general manager Shivani Pandya Malhotra and the unresolved vacancy.

The festival, established in 2019, is a central part of Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become an international film and television hub under its Vision 2030 strategy. Its Red Sea Fund and Red Sea Labs will continue, alongside new year-round programming in Jeddah from November, while the cancellation comes amid heightened Saudi-Houthi tensions and the recent cancellation of the Saudi Formula One Grand Prix.