Pakistan made a significant appearance at the opening of the Red Sea International Film Festival 2025 in Jeddah, marking the start of the festival’s fifth edition with a grand red carpet ceremony. Renowned Pakistani actor Atiqa Odho, senior artist and TV host Tausiq Haider, and filmmaker-actor Shehzad Nawaz represented the country, receiving a warm welcome from festival organizers and attendees alike. The festival commenced with an elaborate ceremony featuring filmmakers and artists from across the globe. Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan officially inaugurated the event, highlighting cinema as a powerful medium for fostering global understanding and cultural exchange. Prince Badr noted that the festival’s fifth edition reflects the support and vision of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and underscored the rapid growth of Saudi Arabia’s cultural sector as a cornerstone for the kingdom’s future. He emphasized that over the past seven years, the Saudi Ministry of Culture has actively preserved national heritage while promoting a diverse cultural landscape, including literature, visual arts, music, crafts, fine arts, and cinema—strengthening national identity and reflecting the ambitions of younger generations. Additionally, Prince Badr highlighted the role of the Red Sea Film Foundation in empowering youth, nurturing creativity, and expanding Saudi Arabia’s presence in the global film industry through its initiatives and annual programs. He said these efforts contribute to economic growth and reinforce the Kingdom’s position as a key destination for cinema. The fifth edition of the festival opened under the theme “Loving Cinema”, bringing together filmmakers from the Arab world, Asia, Africa, Europe and the United States to celebrate the unifying power of the seventh art.