“The Giant” opens the fifth session of the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah | art

The Red Sea International Film Festival announced the details of its fifth session, scheduled to be held in the Saudi city of Jeddah from 4 to 13 December.

The announcement came during a press conference held (Tuesday), during which the opening film was revealed, along with a list of participating Arab films, and a number of international works that will be shown within the festival’s various programs and competitions.

“Giant” at the opening

The Red Sea International Film Festival opens its fifth session with the film “The Giant” by British-Indian director Rawan Athale, in its first showing in the Middle East and North Africa.

The film tells the biography of the British boxing champion of Yemeni origin, Prince Naseem “Naz” Hamed, tracing his journey from childhood until he reached the peak of his sporting glory, while highlighting the racism he faced in the 1980s and 1990s due to his religious affiliation, and how he nevertheless managed to become a global icon in the sport of boxing. The character of Nassim is portrayed by the Egyptian-British actor Amir Al-Masry.

During the press conference, Faisal Baltoor, CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation, explained that choosing the film to open the new session reflects the festival’s support for regional talents that have achieved a global presence, and at the same time represents a celebration of the cultural identity that cinema conveys to the world.

Arabic masterpieces and a special presentation of “The Voice of Hind Rajab”

The activities of the fifth session include a special screening of the Tunisian film “The Voice of Hind Rajab” by director Kaouther Ben Hania, after it won the Silver Lion Award at the 2025 Venice Film Festival and was chosen to represent Tunisia in the Oscars race for the Best International Film category.

The film presents the story of the Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, who was martyred during the Israeli war on Gaza, in a poignant humanitarian treatment that sheds light on the tragedy of childhood amid the horrors of war, presenting an artistic vision that blends realism and deep feelings.

Also participating – within the “Arabian Masterpieces” program – is the film “Palestine 36” by director Anne-Marie Jacir, which represents Palestine in the Oscar race.

“Palestine 36” recalls one of the most sensitive periods in Palestinian history, through a dramatic treatment that documents the 1936 revolution and its profound political and humanitarian repercussions. The film highlights the role played by the colonial powers, led by Britain, in reshaping the region, and how that paved the way for the Zionist occupation and the suppression of resistance, to present a cinematic vision that rereads history in the light of Palestinian national memory.

As part of the “Arabian Masterpieces” program, the festival presents “The Unknown” by director Haifa Al-Mansour, addressing women’s issues and social violence through the story of a divorced woman who returns to her small town and works in a police station, where she faces a harsh reality that tests her strength and independence in a conservative society.

The fifth session will also witness the participation of a number of Saudi films, including “A Matter of Life or Death” directed by Anas Bathaf, and “Hostage” by director Amin Al-Akhnash, in addition to the Egyptian film “Passport or Funeral” by director Amira Diab.

In this context, Antoine Khalifa, Director of the Arab and Classical Cinema Program at the festival, said that this year the program presents 3 Saudi films, along with a group of works from various Arab countries, stressing that the diversity and richness witnessed in the festival’s programming reflects the increasing vitality of contemporary Arab cinema.

International masterpieces

As for the oath “International masterpieces” At the Red Sea International Film Festival, it includes a group of the most prominent international films that combine visual creativity and cultural diversity.

Among them is the documentary film “Farruquito, a Flamenco Dynasty,” which traces the career of one of the most prominent flamenco dancers of his generation, providing an artistic reading into the history of this ancient Spanish art and its relationship to family heritage and Andalusian popular music.

The movie “Couture” by director Alice Wincourt, co-starring Angelina Jolie, will also be screened. The events take place during Paris Fashion Week, where the stories of 4 women (a South Sudanese model, a seamstress, a makeup artist, and an American director) intersect in a visual narrative that reveals the human side of the fashion world, before the director receives shocking news that she has breast cancer.

Also on display is “Desert Warrior” by British director Robert Wyatt, an epic work set in the Arabian Peninsula during the seventh century. It tells the story of Princess Hind, who refuses to be a concubine of the Sassanid Emperor Khosrau, so she flees with her father, King Al-Numan, across the desert to escape the enemy armies. As events escalate, the tribes are forced to ally in the Battle of Dhi Qar in defense of land and dignity.

French director Olivier Assayas presents his new film, “The Wizard of the Kremlin,” which is a political drama mixed with black comedy. Its events go back to the end of the Soviet era and the beginning of the rise of modern Russia, reviewing the shifts in power and moral choices in the world of politics and media.

Restoration of Umm Kulthum’s films

The Red Sea International Film Festival – within the Classic Cinema section – presents an initiative to restore a number of rare films using the latest technologies, to re-display them on the big screen.

The program includes two films by Umm Kulthum directed by Ahmed Badrakhan, “Ode to Hope” (1937) and “Aida” (1942), in an experience that reintroduces the heritage of this singer to new generations in an improved visual and audio form.

The department also includes the restoration of a group of international works, the most prominent of which is the Indian film “Amrao Jaan” by director Muzaffar Ali, one of the classics of Indian cinema, along with a number of other international films.