Red Sea Film Festival Locks Down As Torrential Rain Hits Jeddah

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival locked down its market and festival areas on Tuesday as a lightning storm and torrential rain hit the port city of Jeddah where it is taking place.

Participants received a message at 13.45 pm (1.45 am PT) local time informing them that the Souk market area and the Culture Square screening hub were being closed until further notice.

“Please remain at the hotel due to the weather conditions and if you are already out, please inform us,” read the message.

Participants who were already in the Souk market were told to stay put as shuttle bus services to different parts of the festival were halted.

There were reports of rain leaking through the roof of the temporary structure hosting some 90 corporate and institutional exhibitors, which has been a convivial meeting space until now.

“They started closing down the outdoor bit and covering the chairs with plastic because I guess they saw the forecasts, and then they closed here and the Culture Square, and said you can’t leave,” said one participant who was stuck in the souk.

Deadline has since learned that all programming has been stopped for at least two hours.

Highlights of this afternoon included an In-Conversation with Darren Aronofsky and screenings of Sirāt and The Stories. Other stars scheduled to speak later today include Riz Ahmed, who is on the jury this year.

Prior to the storm, the Jeddah Education Department had already suspended onsite learning in all schools city on Tuesday and the neighboring areas of Rabigh and Khulais due heavy rain forecasts and red weather alert.