From arthouse grit to SpongeBob chaos: Red Sea’s boldest lineup yet

The Red Sea International Film Festival has set out the lineups for three strands: New Vision, Series, and Families & Children. It’s a mix of festival-ready auteurs, emerging Arab voices, and family crowd-pleasers. Expect Juliette Binoche behind the camera, Rose Byrne in a pressure-cooker role, and kids pointing at the screen when Doraemon and SpongeBob show up. Here’s the breakdown, without the fluff.

When and where

The fifth Red Sea IFF runs from 4 to 13 December 2025 in Al-Balad, Jeddah, the UNESCO-listed old town. The announcement covers three programme lanes: New Vision, Series, and Families & Children.

• Dates: 4–13 December 2025
• Location: Al-Balad, Jeddah
• Strands: New Vision, Series, Families & Children

The festival uses Al-Balad’s historic setting as its backdrop. The programming mixes global premieres and regional stories, with a clear push on women in cinema and projects from across MENA. For context on regional festival coverage, see our write-up on the Sharjah International Film Festival 2025.

New Vision: 10 films with bite

This strand highlights formally bold or thematically sharp features. Three titles stand out on name recognition alone, but the full slate is wider.

• IF I HAD LEGS I’D KICK YOU (USA) — Mary Bronstein’s tense portrait of motherhood starring Rose Byrne.
• IN-I: IN MOTION (France) — Juliette Binoche’s directing debut, documenting her stage collaboration with Akram Khan.
• ROSE OF NEVADA (UK) — Mark Jenkin returns with a time-warped trawler tale led by George MacKay and Callum Turner.
• EARLY DAYS (India) — Priyankar Patra tracks a couple’s relationship as it gets sucked into influencer culture.
• THE FINALE (Lebanon) — Rodolphe Chedid crafts an intimate two-hander about love, memory and loss in a village cut off by history.
• SOMEWHERE ELSE (Kuwait/Saudi Arabia/Lebanon) — Haya Alghanim follows a 10-year-old fleeing a volatile home on Kuwait’s coast.

New Vision leans into process, pressure and place. From Binoche’s rehearsal-room honesty to Jenkin’s rugged seascapes, the programme avoids safe choices. It folds in regional voices and fresh ideas, reflecting a scene that’s more confident every year. For a recent snapshot of Saudi-made cinema scaling up, see our coverage of Desert Warrior shot in NEOM.

Women in Film shorts: AFAC x Netflix initiative

Five shorts arrive via the “Women in Film: Bring Your Story to Life” programme, backing Arab women filmmakers with funding and mentorship.

• JAREESH SALAM (Saudi Arabia) — Tala Alharbi centres a girl who won’t let go of her late father’s football or her agency.
• NO LAND IN SIGHT (UAE) — Eiman Alkhalifa stages a mother’s phone call with her son caught at sea.
• CLEANSE THE STREETS (Jordan) — Aysha Shahaltough follows two sisters racing from danger, only to face a deeper truth.
• OF BURNING MEMORIES & WOUNDS (Egypt) — Suha Belal looks at ageing, memory and the quiet choices around care.
• SOMEWHERE ELSE (Kuwait/Saudi Arabia/Lebanon) — Haya Alghanim’s coastal odyssey of a 10-year-old in flight.

The shorts package is the clearest signal of intent: sustained support, not token slots. Mentorship plus money usually equals stronger work. The subjects here span family, war, migration and identity, and they read as personal rather than schematic. Expect these to travel on the regional circuit.

Series programme: one to watch

The Series strand features a single title in this announcement.

• EL’SARDINES (Algeria/France) — Director Zoulikha Tahar follows Zouzou, a bio-maritime engineer torn between family expectations and a dream expedition tracking sardines that have abandoned Algerian waters.

The premise balances domestic stakes with a scientific quest. It’s the kind of character-driven series that can build across episodes without padding. The hook is simple: leave for purpose or stay for peace.

Families & Children: cinema for younger viewers

This year’s family selection aims wide, from anime to a major US animation.

• DORAEMON: NOBITA’S ART WORLD TALES (Japan) — A vibrant trip into Artoria, mixing medieval European art cues with gadgets and heart.
• GHOST SCHOOL (Pakistan/Germany/Saudi Arabia) — Seemab Gul’s debut follows Rabia, 10, hunting the truth behind her school’s sudden closure.
• THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS (USA) — A pirate-tinged romp reaching from Bikini Bottom to Santa Monica Pier.

It’s a practical slate for December. Doraemon should pull families, SpongeBob brings cross-over nostalgia, and Ghost School gives older kids a grounded, conversation-starter story. Planning a post-festival family stream? Our monthly guides for the UAE can help, like the latest Netflix picks and Prime Video list.

Why this matters for the region

Programming points to a healthier ecosystem: Arab shorts with backing, a regional co-production in Series, and international names drawing eyes to the lineup.

• Women-led Arab projects with real support
• International auteurs premiering personal work
• Family films that actually fill seats in December
• Mix of Saudi, Gulf and wider MENA talent

The Red Sea IFF keeps positioning itself as a hub: a place where global names meet regional voices. The mix suggests growth in both audience reach and industry gravity.

When is the Red Sea IFF 2025?
From 4 to 13 December 2025.

Where is it held?
In Al-Balad, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

What are the headline titles this year?
From New Vision: Mary Bronstein’s IF I HAD LEGS I’D KICK YOU with Rose Byrne; Juliette Binoche’s IN-I: IN MOTION; and Mark Jenkin’s ROSE OF NEVADA. Families & Children includes Doraemon: Nobita’s Art World Tales and The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants.

Is there a focus on Arab filmmakers?
Yes. Five shorts by Arab women filmmakers feature under the AFAC and Netflix Fund for Creative Equity programme, with projects from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Egypt and Kuwait.

Are age ratings or ticket details announced?
Not in this announcement. Expect ratings and booking info from the festival closer to 4 December.