The managing director of the Red Sea Film Foundation has left the organization after seven years, and her exit has prompted questions across the film industry about where the Saudi-backed festival goes next.
Shivani Pandya Malhotra stepped down effective June 1, the foundation announced in a short statement Saturday. The Red Sea International Film Festival is held annually in Jeddah and has grown into one of the largest film festivals in the Middle East since its inaugural edition in 2021.
"After seven incredible years and five remarkable editions of the Red Sea International Film Festival, I leave with immense pride in everything we have built together," said Pandya Malhotra.
According to Deadline, Pandya Malhotra joined the foundation in early 2019, just two years after Saudi Arabia lifted its longstanding cinema ban. She was instrumental in building the country's first international film festival from the ground up. Her tenure spanned three foundation CEOs: Mahmoud Sabbagh, Mohammed Al-Turki, and current CEO Faisal Baltyour.
The festival's first edition was held in Jeddah's Al-Balad old city neighborhood with what Deadline described as a make-shift cinema, a rudimentary industry hub, and a small number of A-list guests. It has since expanded considerably and was positioned as a centerpiece of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to diversify the country's economy away from oil and open it to international culture and commerce.
Before joining the Red Sea foundation, Pandya Malhotra brought more than a decade of festival experience to the role, having previously served as managing director of both the Dubai International Film Festival and the Gulf Film Festival.
Her departure comes at an uncertain moment for the event. Questions have emerged in recent months about the festival's future direction as Saudi Arabia pulls back on spending. The broader regional picture has also been complicated by fallout from the Iran-U.S. War, which has hung over the Gulf region.
One area of concern involves the festival's strategy of flying in A-list Hollywood talent to raise its international profile, a practice introduced under former CEO Al-Turki. There are now questions about whether the budget exists to continue that approach and whether it has served the development of the local film industry.
Beyond the festival itself, Pandya Malhotra oversaw the development of year-round foundation programs including the Red Sea Souk, the Red Sea Labs, and the Red Sea Fund, which now support independent filmmakers across the region.
"It has been a privilege to be part of the Foundation's journey from the very beginning and to witness its growth into a globally respected institution," she added in her statement.
No successor has been announced. The next edition of the festival is scheduled for December in Jeddah.
