Red Sea Film Festival adds 26 titles to programme including ‘Erupcja’ with Charli XCX, ‘Rose Of Nevada’

Pete Ohs’ Erupcja starring Charli XCX and Mark Jenkin’s Rose Of Nevada with George MacKay and Callum Turner are among 26 titles added to the lineup of Saudi Arabia’s fifth Red Sea International Film Festival (December 4-13).

Erupcja, about the romance between a Polish florist and a British tourist, is one of 12 titles in the Festival Favourites strand, and comes to Red Sea from its world premiere in Toronto. It is joined in the section by three international feature Oscar entries - Kleber Mendonca Filho’s The Secret Agent from Brazil, Petra Volpe’s Late Shift from Switzerland, and Lee Sang-il’s Kokuho from Japan.

Scroll down for the list of new titles

Further titles include Ireland-UK co-production Saipan, about footballer Roy Keane’s falling out with Irish national team manager Mick McCarthy at the 2002 World Cup; and Ben Wheatley’s Normal starring Bob Odenkirk.

Jenkin’s Rose Of Nevada, about two fishermen who find themselves transported back in time, is one of 10 titles in the New Vision strand, having launched in Venice’s Horizons section in August. It is joined by Mary Bronstein’s If I Had Legs I’d Kick You starring Rose Byrne; and Juliette Binoche’s directorial debut In-I: In Motion, based on the 2008 stage production from London’s National Theatre.

Five of the 10 titles in the New Vision strand are short films made through the Women in Film: Bring Your Story to Life initiative, in partnership with the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture and Netflix’s Fund for Creative Equity.

Three features have been selected for the Red Sea: Families & Children strand, including Paramount’s The SpongeBob Movie: Search For Squarepants, which had its world premiere at AFI Fest earlier this week and will play at Red Sea ahead of a global rollout from December 17. Red Sea has also selected its first Series title, Zoulikha Tahar’s Algeria-set miniseries El’sardines.

The festival is a first edition for new director of international programmes Fionnuala Halligan, who was formerly executive editor, reviews and new talent at Screen.

“The International selections for these three key strands demonstrate the true breadth of projects on display at the Red Sea IFF,” said Halligan.

“New Vision presents groundbreaking cinema that pushes the boundaries of narrative storytelling and as we continue to champion women in cinema, we’re excited to have two incredible female creatives - both actors turned filmmakers - in selection this year: Juliette Binoche, with her directorial debut fresh off heading up Cannes’ jury, and Mary Bronstein with an uncomfortable and highly compelling look at motherhood.”

The festival has previously announced its repertory Treasures strand, including what it claims is Saudi Arabia’s first-ever silent film screenings with live musical accompaniment, of three films featuring Buster Keaton (One Week), Charlie Chaplin (The Immigrant) and Laurel and Hardy (Liberty).

The full Red Sea programme will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

Red Sea 2026 Festival Favourites, New Vision, Families & Chlidren, Series

Festival Favourites

Erupcja (US-Pol) dir. Pete Ohs

Girl (Tai-China) dir. Shu Qi

Kokuho (Japan) dir. Lee Sang-il

Kwibuka, Remember (Bel-Rwa) dir. Jonas D’Adesky

Late Shift (Switz-Ger) dir. Petra Volpe

My Father’s Scent (Egy) dir. Mohamed Siam

Normal (US-Can) dir. Ben Wheatley

Primavera (It-Fr) dir. Damien Michieletto

Saipan (Ire-UK) dirs. Lisa Barros D’Sa, Glenn Leyburn

The Furious (HK) dir. Tanigaki Kenji

The Settlement (Egy) dir. Mohamed Rashad

The Secret Agent (Ger-Fr-Bra-Neth) dir. Kleber Mendonca Filho

New Vision

Cleanse The Streets (Jor) dir. Aysha Shalaltough

Early Days (India) dir. Priyankar Patra

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (US) dir. Mary Bronstein

In-I: In Motion (Fr) dir. Juliette Binoche

Jareesh Salam (S Arabia) dir. Tala Alharbi

No Land In Sight (UAE) dir. Eiman Alkhalifa

Of Burning Memories & Wounds (Egy) dir. Suha Belal

Rose Of Nevada (UK) dir. Mark Jenkin

Somewhere Else (Kuw-S Arabia-Leb) dir. Haya Alghanim

The Finale (Leb) dir. Rodolphe Chedid

Families & Children

Doraemon: Nobita’s Art World Tales (Jap) dirs. Yukiyo Teramoto, Mohammad Alarabi Tourgane, Sir Tarek Alarabi Tourgane

Ghost School (Pak-Ger-S Arabia) dir. Seemab Gul

The SpongeBob Movie: Search For Squarepants (US) dir. Derek Drymon

Series

El’sardines (Alg-Fr) cre. Zoulikha Tahar

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