The RSIFF will screen 131 feature films and shorts from 61 countries in 41 languages, including 34 world premieres, 17 Arab premieres and 47 Middle East and North Africa premieres.

The opening film will be What’s Love Got to Do with It?, directed by Shekhar Kapur and written by Jemima Khan. It stars Lily James, Shazad Latif, Shabana Azmi, Sajal Aly, Asim Chaudhry and Emma Thompson.

The closing ceremony will host the world premiere of Valley Road, by acclaimed Saudi filmmaker Khaled Fahd, starring Hamad Farhan, Naif Khalaf and Aseel Omran.

The official competitions line-up 26 shorts and 16 features from around the globe with the winners set to be announced on 8 December.

The features competition jury will be led by the three-time Academy award winner filmmaker Oliver Stone, who is known for his movies The Doors, Wall Street, JFK, Midnight Express, Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July, Nixon and Natural Born Killers.

Rising Saudi filmmakers will be celebrated by showcasing seven new Saudi features and 18 Saudi short films, including Valley Road.

The parallel programmes also include Festival Favorites, New Saudi/New Cinema, Red Sea: Treasures, Red Sea: Arab and International Spectacular, Red Sea: Family and Children, Red Sea: Virtual Reality, Red Sea: Series, and Red Sea: New Vision.

“Our programmers have curated the best of Arab and international cinema, talent-led galas of some of the most anticipated films of the year, and an exceptional selection from astonishing new Saudi talents who are paving the way in our country’s flourishing industry,” stated the festival CEO Mohammed Al-Turki on Monday.

This year In-Conversations programme will host talks from German filmmaker Fatih Akin, British director Gurinder Chadha, Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania and Egyptian actors Mona Zaki and Hussein Fahmy,

The red carpets galas will include screenings of Saudi director Fahad Alammari’s Alkhallat+, Lebanese Lara Saba’s All Roads, South Koean’s Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Broker, Irish Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin, South Korean Park Chan-Wook’s Decision, British Sam Mendes’ Empire of Light and Egyptian John Ikram Sawers Kamla, among other films.

The festival is also hosting many competitions and activities as part of the Red Sea Souk - the festival’s industry market platform that will run between 3 and 6 December.

It will feature representatives from 46 countries who will have to opportunity to network and enjoy access to the vibrant new Saudi scene, as well as the best of Arab and African production.

In partnership with VOX Cinemas and the MBC GROUP, the 10-day event is sponsored by a number of public and private entities, with dozens of filmmakers and actors from all over the globe expected to attend.