Rules & regulations
Mission & Objective
The Red Sea Film Foundation Festival is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting film culture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Foundation champions the Kingdom’s film scene by nurturing audience engagement, developing filmmakers and supporting a robust film industry.
Film submissions for the 5th edition of Red Sea International Film Festival “Red Sea IFF”, will open from 5th May to 17th August 2025.
The 5th edition of Red Sea IFF will take place from 4th to 13th December 2025.
Submission Dates and Pricing
Open Early Bird Submissions: 5th May 2025.
- Early bird: There is no fee for submissions until 7th July 2025.
Regular Price Submissions: 7th July 2025.
- 100 SAR (VAT Inclusive) for Shorts (under 59 minutes).
- 200 SAR (VAT Inclusive) for Features (over 60 minutes).
Submission fee exemptions are not published and are handled directly on a case-by-case basis similar to Festival Industry standards.
Submission Exemptions:
- Films pursued by the programming team are exempt from paying submission fees
- All Film Submissions are non-refundable.
Submissions close on 17th August 2025
Rules and Regulations
Red Sea IFF is only accepting submissions for the following sections:
- Red Sea: Competition (open to Saudi, Arab, Asian and African filmmakers)
- Red Sea: Shorts Competition (open to Saudi, Arab, Asian and African filmmakers)
- New Saudi/New Cinema Features and Shorts (open to Saudi filmmakers and Saudi Residents)
Red Sea IFF’s programmers curate all other sections at Red Sea IFF.
International Sales Agents can contact Red Sea IFF about films for non-competitive sections at submissions@redseafilmfestival.com
Red Sea In-Competition Program: General Eligibility
Red Sea In-Competition program consists of two sections:
- Red Sea: Competition
- Red Sea: Shorts Competition
Red Sea In-Competition program is open to Arab, African and Asian filmmakers (as shown in Appendix 1), It includes fiction, non-fiction (documentary) and animation films.
A film’s nationality is determined by any of the following factors:
- The country/countries where the funding originates.
- Location of the production linked to tax breaks or funding.
- The nationality of the director(s) and/or producer(s).
Films must be a 2024 – 2025 production.
The regional classification will be based on the film’s theme, content, and language.
Any film screened or premiered before 31st December 2024 at a film festival, theatrically, on VOD, or online will not be considered for selection.
Films selected to premiere at Red Sea IFF must not have been entirely or partially broadcast and/or made available on any television channel, the internet, mobile phones and/or any other public viewing platform accessible in the Middle East and North Africa region until after the 5th edition of Red Sea IFF closes on 13th December 2025.
All films must be submitted in their original language. If the original language of the film is not English, the film must be subtitled in English.
Red Sea: Competition
- Feature-length films are those that equal or exceed 60 minutes in duration.
- The film must be a Middle East and North African premiere (which means that they should not have screened in any of the countries in Appendix 2 before Red Sea IFF). By this, we ask that films have not been presented in any public event, including festival screenings.
- The film should not have been screened at any film festival anywhere in the world that is primarily focused on Arab films.
Red Sea: Shorts Competition
- Short films are defined as those that do not exceed 59 minutes.
- Preference will be given to films that are World or International Premieres.
- The film must be a Middle East and North African premiere (which means that they should not have screened in any of the countries in Appendix 2 before Red Sea IFF). By this, we ask that films have not been presented in any public event, including festival screenings.
- Films made by a film school or Arab film institution are encouraged.
- Independent productions and co-productions are also welcomed.
New Saudi/New Cinema Features and Shorts
- Designed to celebrate Saudi film productions.
- This section is open to fiction, documentary, and animated films.
- Films that have been produced by Saudi and Saudi residents Filmmakers.
- Films must be produced by a Saudi team, with the lead creatives being from KSA.
- Films should not be released in Saudi cinemas.
- Films that have had a Saudi release may be selected for market screenings.
- Films must not have been entirely or partially broadcast and/or made available on television, the internet, mobile phones and/or any other public viewing platform worldwide until after the 5th edition of Red Sea IFF closes on 13th December 2025.
- Open to emerging and established directors.
Red Sea Awards
Red Sea In-Competition program consists of two sections:
- Red Sea: Competition.
- Red Sea: Shorts Competition.
Selected films at The Red Sea International Film Festival will compete for the below awards:
- The Yusr Awards will be determined by the prestigious jury presiding over the In-competition section.
- Audience Award: is chosen by the audience attending the screenings.
The award-winners and distribution companies agree to use the exact wording of the awards as set out in the guidelines of Red Sea IFF.
The Yusr Awards
Films selected for Red Sea: Competition and Red Sea: Shorts Competition will compete for the following Yusr Awards:
1) Red Sea: Competition
- Golden Yusr Award for Best Feature Film (Trophy and USD 100,000): The prize will be split between the director(s) and producer(s) of the winning film.
- Silver Yusr Award for Best Feature Film (Trophy and USD 30,000).
- Best Director Yusr Award (Trophy and USD 10,000): The prize will be awarded to the director(s) of the winning film.
- Jury Yusr Award (Trophy and USD 10,000): The prize will be shared between the director(s) and producer(s) of the winning film.
- Best Screenplay Yusr Award (Trophy and USD 10,000)
- Best Actor Yusr Award (Trophy)
- Best Actress Yusr (Trophy)
- Yusr Award for Best Cinematic Achievement (Trophy)
2) Red Sea: Shorts Competition
- Golden Yusr for Best Short Film (Trophy and USD 25,000): The prize is awarded as financing for the director(s) next film, which must carry RSIFF logo.
- Silver Yusr for a Short Film (Trophy and USD 12,500): The prize is awarded as financing for the director(s) next film, which must carry RSIFF logo.
Red Sea: Competition
- Golden Yusr Best Feature Film (Trophy and USD 100,000): The prize will be split between the director(s) and producer(s) of the winning film.
- Silver Yusr Feature Film (Trophy and USD 30,000).
- Yusr Best Director (Trophy and USD 10,000): The prize will be awarded to the director(s) of the winning film.
- Yusr Jury Prize (Trophy and USD 10,000): The prize will be shared between the director(s) and producer(s) of the winning film.
- Yusr Best Screenplay (Trophy and USD 10,000)
- Yusr Best Actor (Trophy)
- Yusr Best Actress (Trophy)
- Yusr Best Cinematic Achievement (Trophy)
Red Sea: Shorts Competition
- Golden Yusr Best Short Film (Trophy and USD 25,000): The prize is awarded as financing for the director(s) next film, which must carry RSIFF logo.
- Silver Yusr Short Film (Trophy and USD 12,500): The prize is awarded as financing for the director(s) next film, which must carry RSIFF logo.
Audience Awards
Audience Award: Saudi Film
- All Saudi films (features) selected in the Official Program (In-Competitions and Out-of-Competition programs) are eligible for the Audience Award Saudi Film voted by the audience.
- The Audience Award Saudi Film (USD 50,000) prize) will be voted on by the festival attendees and will be given to the distribution company to support the distribution of the film in Saudi and the Middle East.
Audience Award: International Film
All feature films selected in the following sections are eligible for the Audience Award:
- Red Sea: Competition.
- Arab Spectacular & International Spectacular.
- New Saudi/New Cinema Features.
- Children and Teens.
- Red Sea: New Vision.
- The Audience Award (USD 50,000) will be voted on by the festival attendees and will be given to the distribution company of the film in Saudi and the Middle East.
Selection Committee and Jury
- The relevant Red Sea IFF selection committee will review all films and make the final decision on whether they will be part of the Competition program or Out-of-Competition Program selections, irrespective of the category they have been submitted in.
- Competition Program Jury: Red Sea IFF will solely appoint two separate juries from the film community to decide on prize winners for the Yusr Awards.
- No person who has taken part in the production or exploitation of a film in competition may be on the Jury.
- The Jury for the Red Sea: Competition section will comprise five members.
- The Jury for the Red Sea: Shorts Competition section will comprise three members.
Submissions: General Rules & Regulations
- Deadline: Entries of online submission forms in English and/or Arabic and film viewing copies must be completed and submitted by 17th August 2025.
- Any submissions received after 17th August 2025 will not be accepted.
- All films must be submitted in their original language. If the original language of the film is not in English, the viewing copy must be subtitled in English.
- If the film is a “work-in-progress”, please ensure that this is clearly stated on the submission form with the final title of the film and not the working title. For the avoidance of doubt, all other terms related to submissions shall be herein applicable.
- All viewing copies and/or material should be added to the submission form only. Please note The Red Sea International Film Festival will not accept DVDs or any physical format as a viewing copy for submission purposes.
- The viewing copies (screeners) are shared with the relevant selection committee for viewing and assessment purposes.
- If you have any queries about the film submissions, please email RSIFF submissions team: submissions@redseafilmfest.com
Selected Films
- The spirit of the festival: The Festival focuses attention on works of quality in order to contribute to the evolution of audio-visual arts in Saudi Arabia and the region.
- If a film is selected for the Official Program, Red Sea IFF will send an official selection letter by November 2025 and will advise of further requirements and next steps.
- All films must be submitted in their original language. If the original language of the film is not in English, the film must be subtitled in English.
- All films with dialogues in a language different from Arabic and English will be electronically subtitled in these two languages. The rights holders must provide a time-coded dialogue list.
- Red Sea IFF hereby reserves the first right to announce the Official Program. Prior to the official announcement made by Red Sea IFF, all those associated with the film selected shall not publicly announce directly or indirectly confirm that the film is part of the Official Program.
- The Official Program will be announced in November 2025.
- If a film has not been selected, Red Sea IFF will inform the submitter by letter prior to the announcement of the Official Program. However, it is Red Sea IFF’s policy not to provide any feedback, comments or reasons for films that are not selected.
- Once a film is selected and confirmed, the submitter cannot withdraw it or change its Premiere status before it is screened at Red Sea IFF.
- Screenings & Scheduling: Selected films will be screened up to three times to RSIFF’s public audiences. At the discretion of Red Sea IFF, prior to Red Sea IFF’s public festival screenings selected films may receive additional screenings for the accredited press and the official Jury, amounting to a possible five screenings in total.
- Red Sea IFF will at its sole discretion decide on the dates and order of the screening(s) of each film.
- Films that have been selected or awarded at the Red Sea Film Festival are encouraged to proudly display the official festival laurels in their promotional materials.
Final Exhibition copy
The rights holders are encouraged to send the final exhibition copy of the film by a secured online transfer platform; rights holders can also ship an exhibition copy on a Hard Drive to the Red Sea IFF address. These must be submitted in one of the following formats:
- Movie files: Apple pro res LT, Apple pro res HQ, Apple pro res 422, H264.
- DCP
It is Red Sea IFF’s general policy to screen all films in their original language version with English and Arabic subtitles on DCP if available.
Selected films should be submitted with a high-resolution copy of the film’s trailer, digital poster, and at least three high resolution stills, which can be used for promotional purposes by the Red Sea IFF.
Red Sea IFF shall be entitled without prior notice to use the trailer online and on broadcast TV for periods of time to be solely decided by Red Sea IFF.
The exhibition copy of the film must be received in good condition or the Red Sea IFF submitter must re-submit a new copy. In the event that the submitter fails to submit an exhibition copy suitable for screening and in good condition, Red Sea IFF reserves the right to cancel the selection of the film without any liability whatsoever.
Exhibition Copy Shipping: Red Sea IFF will bear shipping costs to and from Red Sea IFF’s premises. Red Sea IFF will return the exhibition copy at the end of RSIFF. To arrange for the delivery of the exhibition copy of the film at the end of Red Sea IFF, the Print Traffic Manager shall contact the print source of the film by email to arrange for the delivery. In the event that the print source does not revert back to the Print Traffic Manager with delivery instructions in writing within 30 working days from the date of the email, Red Sea IFF shall keep the exhibition copy in its possession with no obligation to further chase the print source for the delivery. Should the print source ask for the exhibition copy back after the deadline mentioned herein and up to 12 months from the date of the email, then Red Sea IFF shall return the exhibition copy at the submitter’s cost. Upon the expiry of 12 months from the date of the email, if the exhibition copy of the film shall continue to be in Red Sea IFF’s possession, Red Sea IFF shall not be under any obligation whatsoever to return the exhibition copy to the print source and/or the right holder(s), and the print source and/or the right holder(s) shall have no right for any compensation claim against Red Sea IFF. After 12 months have elapsed at its sole discretion, Red Sea IFF can return the exhibition copy to the print source and/or the right holder(s) as instructed, and the latter shall bear the shipment costs.
In the case of loss or damage during Red Sea IFF, Red Sea IFF will be responsible only for the replacement value of the exhibition copy if Red Sea IFF originally received the said exhibition copy in good condition.
Additional Terms
In the event that the submitter violates any condition of the Rules and Regulations, Red Sea IFF, at its sole discretion, may choose to cancel and eliminate such film from the Official Program without any liability whatsoever.
Anti-Piracy Precautions: Red Sea IFF will take all possible and reasonable anti-piracy precautions. All exhibition copies and associated copyrighted materials will be securely stored while on Red Sea IFF premises. Access is limited to Red Sea IFF’s authorized staff only and all movement of exhibition copies will be strictly monitored. No duplication or loaning is permitted and no exhibition copies will ever leave the custody and care of Red Sea IFF or its authorized staff during Red Sea IFF unless authorized in writing by the rights owner of the film.
Red Sea IFF /Yusr Logo and Laurels: All Red Sea IFF selected films, including Yusr Awards winners, may include in a clear and visible banner on the Home Video release of their film (i.e. DVD, Blu Ray, online availability) and on any and all promotional material (including but not limited to posters, banners, EPK’s, website) a specific logo or laurels provided by RSIFF.
Acknowledgement and Undertaking
Submission and participation in the Official Program is an implicit acceptance of the Rules and Regulations.
The submitter hereby represents and warrants that he/she holds all rights in and to the film and its related materials and that he/she has the authority and capacity to submit the film and its related material for the Official Program on behalf of the rights-holder (s) of the film.
Except as stated in the Rules and Regulations, the submitter acknowledges that Red Sea IFF shall not be liable or responsible in any manner whatsoever for any loss or damage of whatever type or nature incurred as a result of the submission, acceptance and/or screening of the film and/or its related material. Furthermore, the submitter undertakes to indemnify and keep Red Sea IFF indemnified against all liabilities, claims, demands, actions, costs, damages, or losses arising out of the submission, acceptance and/or screening of the film and/or its related material.
The submitter also understands and acknowledges that the online submission form and the Rules and Regulations is a consolidated and unified document, and therefore the online submission form shall be considered as incorporated herein by reference.
Appendix 1
African and Asian Countries shall mean
Appendix 2
Arab region shall mean one or more of the following countries:
