Kaleem Aftab has left his role as director of international programming at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival.
Aftab departed after the festival’s fourth edition, which ran from December 6-14, 2024.
“When I first started working for Red Sea, everyone said it would be impossible to put on a successful film festival in Saudi Arabia,” said Aftab. “I’m deeply proud of the work that I did there, and the progressive programming, including showing content that people never believed would be shown publicly in Saudi Arabia.
“Having seen the journey all the way to last year’s hugely successful edition at the new venue, I have a change in family circumstance that meant it felt like the right time to step away.”
“Kaleem has been a part of the Red Sea team for the past four years and built an international programme, working to put the Red Sea International Film Festival on the map as a key stop in the festival calendar,” said a statement from Red Sea. “He has been a pivotal part of our journey so far and we wish him all the best in his future work.”
The festival said it will share further information on the upcoming fifth edition and international programming team “in due course”. It also confirmed that Antoine Khalife will remain in post as director of Arab programmes.
UK journalist Aftab held the international programming role from early 2021, overseeing international programming for the festival’s first four editions. He headed the selection of films from the US, Europe, the Americas, Asia and other international territories; and worked alongside Khalife, director of Arab programmes and film classics.
Aftab has worked for over two decades as a freelance film and culture journalist in the UK, writing for publications including The Independent, The National, Interview Magazine and Screen International.
The fourth edition of Red Sea was the first at its new permanent home, in the Al-Balad cultural district of Saudi port city Jeddah. The festival’s fifth edition will take place from December 4-13.
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