The programming team includes TIFF film curator Giovanna Fulvi, former Artistic
Director of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival Deepti D’Cunha, Fasllah.com Editor-in-
Chief Ahmed Al-Ayyad, Good Chaos CEO Mike Goodridge, and African cinema expert Alex Moussa Sawadogo
The Red Sea Film Foundation (Red Sea FF) has unveiled the programming team for the fifth edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival, which takes place from 4–13 December 2025 in the historic district of Al Balad, Jeddah Under the leadership of Antoine Khalife, Director of Arab Programs and Film Classics, the Arab Programming team includes Saudi journalist and critic Ahmed Al-Ayyad, the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Fasllah.com and a member of FIPRESCI, who joins as a Senior Programmer. Ahmed also currently leads the arts section at the prominent Saudi publication Elaph.
Lebanese journalist, critic and screenwriter Josephine Habchi will also serve as Senior Programmer under
Antoine. Josephine has worked across both television and communications, in addition to her work at Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar.
Mariam Abdalla has been appointed as both a programmer for the team, and Red Sea’s Egypt correspondent.
She has previously held roles at Samusocial International Egypt, Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia, and White Horse Studios.
Badih Massaad joins as Short Films Programme Manager within the Arab programming team. A director and lecturer at the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts, Badih has held roles at MC Distribution and Beirut’s Metropolis Cinema before joining RSIFF.
Returning team member Mohyee Qari continues in his role as Saudi Program Manager, bringing seven years of programming experience and a creative background as a director and director of photography to champion Saudi cinema locally and internationally.
.Following her recent appointment as Director of International Programs, Fionnuala Halligan has assembled a new international programming team which includes producer and Founder of Good Chaos Mike Goodridge (Ballad Of A Small Player, Left-Handed Girl, Santosh), whose film Orphan, directed by Lazlo Nemes, is playing in Competition at Venice. He joins the team as International Program Advisor. Mike was Festival Director at the Macao Film Festival (2017–2020) and programmer for Sarajevo (2012–2017), and has also held tenure as CEO of Protagonist Pictures, and Editor of Screen International.
Also joining the team as International Programming Consultant, Asia is Giovanna Fulvi. Giovanna is a Film
Curator at the Toronto International Film Festival with a particular focus on the cinema of mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea. Her previous festival work also includes the International Film Festival Rotterdam and the Rome and Torino Film Festivals.
Joining as International Programming Consultant, South Asia is Deepti D’Cunha, a Mumbai-based programmer and former Artistic Director of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. With over fifteen years’ experience and roles at NFDC Film Bazaar and festivals including Venice, Locarno, and Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, she is known for championing emerging South Asian talent.
Alex Moussa Sawadogo takes up the post of International Programming Consultant, Africa. Alex is currently Managing Director of the Agence Burkinabè de la Cinématographie et de L’Audiovisuel, founder of Ouaga Film Lab, a film development and co-production laboratory in Burkina Faso, and has held roles as Artistic Director of FESPACO and the Lausanne African Film Festivals.
Shivani Pandya-Malhotra, Managing Director of the Red Sea Film Foundation, said: “Our programming
teams are the backbone of our festival – tirelessly weaving together the works we screen and shaping the artistic direction of each edition. It is invigorating to be creating our fifth RSIFF in collaboration with a host of talented, deeply connected and curatorially driven programmers – and we look forward to sharing the fruits of their work with our local and international audiences this December.”
About Red Sea Film Foundation
The Red Sea Film Foundation is a non-profit organization that is transforming Saudi Arabia and the Arab world into a global hub for filmmaking. Under its umbrella, the Foundation consists of several departments, including the Red Sea Souk, Red Sea Fund, Red Sea Labs, and the Red Sea International Film Festival, to holistically cover all aspects of the film value chain. The Foundation provides a platform for aspiring filmmakers to make their mark on the global film stage, while also preserving the heritage of classic Arab cinema. The Red Sea Film Foundation is playing a vital role in nurturing the next generation of filmmakers and creating a sustainable film industry in Saudi Arabia and across wider regions in Africa and Asia.
About Red Sea International Film Festival
The Red Sea IFF is a grand celebration of film, bringing the best of world cinema to Jeddah. Over the past four editions, the Festival has premiered critically acclaimed award-winning filmmakers and films, classic cinema, and a spotlight on films from underrepresented voices underscoring the Festival’s commitment to cinematic excellence and bridging cultures.
The Festival has garnered significant recognition, winning many awards for best cultural and film events. It has achieved massive publicity, reaching millions of audiences worldwide, with thousands of press attendees.
Regarded as Saudi Arabia’s highest-profile and most anticipated event, the Festival has captured the attention and acclaim of renowned industry figures worldwide and has been attended by tens of thousands of accredited visitors.
As the largest celebration of cinema and culture in the MENA region, the Festival features exciting new films on the big screen, alongside retrospective programs celebrating cinema masters, the latest Saudi films, feature and short film competitions, industry events, and masterclasses (In Conversations).
For ten exhilarating days (December 4-13), the Festival will transform the historic Jeddah Old Town, Al-Balad, into a cinematic wonderland, captivating film enthusiasts, industry professionals, and global audiences alike for its upcoming fifth edition. Al Balad is recognized as a UNESCO site that offers a captivating cultural experience reflecting the rich heritage of Saudi Arabia.
TunisianMonitorOnline (Douha Saafi)
