Afghan director Roya Sadat, whose film "Sima's Song" is competing at the prestigious Red Sea Film Festival, has finally confirmed her attendance after an unexpected ordeal involving airline restrictions. Initially denied boarding at Dallas airport on her way to Jeddah, Sadat's entry was blocked due to an issue with her passport, a situation that has since been resolved.

On December 4, Sadat was stopped at the airport by airline officials who claimed that Saudi Arabia does not accept extended Afghan passports. These passports, issued by Afghan embassies abroad, are not recognised by the Taliban, who requested that countries refuse them. 

However, most nations, including Saudi Arabia, do accept these passports since they do not recognise the Taliban as a legitimate governing body.

In a statement shared with Variety, Sadat expressed her shock and frustration. "I was stopped at Dallas Airport and prevented from boarding my flight to Jeddah," she explained.

"The airline claimed that Saudi Arabia does not accept extended Afghan passports. I was shocked when the representative stated this because many Afghans travel to Mecca annually, and for most of them, this is the only type of passport they possess."

Extended Afghan passports are issued independently by Afghan embassies, operating outside Taliban control. Sadat's situation highlighted a bureaucratic complication—airlines assumed these documents were no longer valid. However, festival organisers quickly intervened to resolve the issue.

"Today, I received a call from the Red Sea Film Festival organisers, who informed me that the issue had been resolved and that I would be able to travel with the same visa," Sadat confirmed. "I'm relieved because this confirms that the situation was a mistake on the part of the airline."

Sadat also expressed her gratitude to the festival, stating, "I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the Red Sea Film Festival for their incredible support in resolving this matter."

The Red Sea Film Festival, hosted in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, runs from December 6-15 and attracts prominent filmmakers from across the globe. 

Sadat's "Sima's Song" is among the high-profile films being showcased this year. A trailblazer in Afghan cinema, Sadat's career began during the first Taliban regime, when making films could lead to public lashings. Her resilience and passion for storytelling have since made her one of Afghanistan's most celebrated filmmakers.

Sadat remains optimistic that this incident won't deter the festival's focus on celebrating global stories, including her own.

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