Shahad Ameen's Hijra selected for 82nd Venice Film Festival spotlight
The selection marks a major milestone for Ameen, whose debut film Scales also premiered at Venice, represented Saudi Arabia in the Oscars, and went on to win over 15 international awards. With Hijra, Ameen returns to Venice as both writer and director, teaming up with renowned Iraqi filmmaker Mohamed Al-Daradji as lead producer.
Described as a poetic road movie set in 2001, Hijra follows a grandmother traveling from the south of Saudi Arabia to Mecca with her two granddaughters. When one of them disappears, the journey shifts northward in search of her, revealing the emotional and physical landscapes of Saudi Arabia. Filmed in nine diverse locations — from AlUla and Tabuk to NEOM and Jeddah — the film is a cinematic exploration of intergenerational womanhood, identity, and belonging.
'Hijra is one of the most challenging films I've ever worked on,' Ameen said. 'We believed deeply in telling this story about Saudi women through a rich human and historical context.'
The film features Khairia Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhafiri, and newcomer Lamar Fadan in the lead role of Janna, with a special appearance by Baraa Alem. It is a co-production between Beit Ameen for Production, the Iraqi Independent Film Center, and Ideation Studios, with support from Film AlUla, NEOM, Ithra, and the Red Sea Film Festival Foundation.
International distribution is handled by CAA, with CineWaves distributing in Saudi Arabia and Film Clinic Indie Distribution managing regional rights across the Arab world.Behind the scenes, Hijra boasts a high-caliber international crew, including editor Hervé de Luze (The Pianist), cinematographer Miguel Littin Menz (The Vast of Night), and composer Armand Amar (Bab'Aziz), alongside Saudi talents Meznah Alharbi and Toufic Khreich.Rooted in Saudi Arabia's landscapes and soul, Hijra reaffirms the Kingdom's cinematic rise — blending global storytelling with a deeply local voice. — SG
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Saudi Gazette
19 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi films earn SR100 million at box office in 2025
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Saudi films have generated over SR100 million in box office revenue since the beginning of 2025, reflecting the rapid growth of the Kingdom's film industry and growing audience trust in local content. According to the Saudi Film Commission, eight local productions captured 19% of total box office share this year. These included Shabab Al-Bomb 2, Hobal, Al-Zarfa, Is'af, Fakhr Al-Suwaidi, Leil Nahar, Saifi, and Tashwish. During the week of July 13–19, Saudi cinemas recorded SR26 million in total ticket sales. Leading the charts was the American film F1 The Movie with SR26.3 million, followed by the Saudi film Al-Zarfa with SR22.6 million. Superman ranked third with SR7.7 million, while the Egyptian film Ahmed and Ahmed came in fourth with SR3.5 million.
Saudi Gazette
19 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Shahad Ameen's Hijra selected for 82nd Venice Film Festival spotlight
RIYADH — Saudi filmmaker Shahad Ameen's highly anticipated second feature Hijra has been officially selected to screen in the Spotlight Competition at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, taking place from August 27 to September 6, 2025. The selection marks a major milestone for Ameen, whose debut film Scales also premiered at Venice, represented Saudi Arabia in the Oscars, and went on to win over 15 international awards. With Hijra, Ameen returns to Venice as both writer and director, teaming up with renowned Iraqi filmmaker Mohamed Al-Daradji as lead producer. Described as a poetic road movie set in 2001, Hijra follows a grandmother traveling from the south of Saudi Arabia to Mecca with her two granddaughters. When one of them disappears, the journey shifts northward in search of her, revealing the emotional and physical landscapes of Saudi Arabia. Filmed in nine diverse locations — from AlUla and Tabuk to NEOM and Jeddah — the film is a cinematic exploration of intergenerational womanhood, identity, and belonging. 'Hijra is one of the most challenging films I've ever worked on,' Ameen said. 'We believed deeply in telling this story about Saudi women through a rich human and historical context.' The film features Khairia Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhafiri, and newcomer Lamar Fadan in the lead role of Janna, with a special appearance by Baraa Alem. It is a co-production between Beit Ameen for Production, the Iraqi Independent Film Center, and Ideation Studios, with support from Film AlUla, NEOM, Ithra, and the Red Sea Film Festival Foundation. International distribution is handled by CAA, with CineWaves distributing in Saudi Arabia and Film Clinic Indie Distribution managing regional rights across the Arab the scenes, Hijra boasts a high-caliber international crew, including editor Hervé de Luze (The Pianist), cinematographer Miguel Littin Menz (The Vast of Night), and composer Armand Amar (Bab'Aziz), alongside Saudi talents Meznah Alharbi and Toufic in Saudi Arabia's landscapes and soul, Hijra reaffirms the Kingdom's cinematic rise — blending global storytelling with a deeply local voice. — SG
Arab News
21 hours ago
- Arab News
Saudi film ‘Hijra' to compete at Venice festival
RIYADH: Saudi filmmaker Shahad Ameen's feature film 'Hijra' (Migration) will compete in the Venice Spotlight Competition at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Backed by the Film Commission's Daw program, the selection is Saudi Arabia's latest bid for global recognition after Ameen's award-winning debut 'Scales' premiered at the same festival in 2019. The film follows a grandmother, Khairiya Nazmi, and her granddaughter, Lamar Feddan, as they journey across northern Saudi Arabia to find a missing teenage girl. Shot over more than 55 days in eight Saudi cities – Taif, Jeddah, Madinah, Wadi Al-Faraa, AlUla, Tabuk, NEOM, and Duba – the story unfolds against the backdrop of Hajj. Ameen's narrative explores Saudi Arabia's historical role as a crossroads for Muslim communities, weaving themes of migration and intergenerational resilience. Saudi filmmaker Shahad Ameen's feature film 'Hijra' (Migration) will compete in the Venice Spotlight Competition Film Commission CEO Abdullah Al-Qahtani said: 'Our participation in the Venice International Film Festival reflects the remarkable progress of Saudi cinema and the dedication of our filmmakers. 'Through initiatives like the Daw program, we empower a new generation of Saudi storytellers to share authentic narratives with global audiences. We are honored to represent the Kingdom at this prestigious event and look forward to building new partnerships and opportunities for Saudi talent.' He noted that the Daw initiative has supported more than 250 regional films since its launch, aligning with Vision 2030's goal of positioning Saudi cinema on the global stage. During the festival, the commission will host a roundtable, 'Young Audiences and Cinemas,' to explore strategies for engaging younger generations through local and global case studies. It will also present a panel, 'Making Cinematic Success,' featuring Saudi filmmakers crafting original narratives inspired by local culture and connecting with global audiences. At the same venue, nine Saudi short films will be screened, showing the diversity of national creative talent and storytelling.
