
Saudi Arabia announces completion of largest ever Arabic film
The head of the Saudi Entertainment Authority, Turki Al-Sheikh, announced the completion of the shoot for what is said to be the largest Arabic film in history.
In a post on the social media platform X, Al-Sheikh shared that the filming took place at the "Big Time" studio, located in the Al-Husn area of Riyadh.
The movie, titled 7Dogs, features some of the biggest stars from the Arab world, including Karim Abdel Aziz, Ahmed Ezz, and Nasser Al-Qasabi. The cast also includes popular actors such as Said Rjab, Tara Emad, Sandy Bella, Hana El Zahed, Hala Sedky, and Mona Shalaby.
Al-Sheikh added that the film will also feature several international actors, whose participation is considered a major surprise for audiences.
In his statement, Al-Sheikh expressed pride in the national talent development program, revealing that the production process involved training young Saudi men and women in various fields of film production. This initiative aims to nurture local expertise while boosting the country's entertainment industry.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Express Tribune
16-05-2025
- Express Tribune
What is Al-Ayyala? Traditional emirati dance circulates online
Listen to article During US President Donald Trump's recent visit to the United Arab Emirates, a traditional Emirati dance performance featuring women in white robes swaying their long hair was staged as part of his official reception at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi. The cultural showcase quickly circulated on social media, with many viewers expressing curiosity about the ceremony. The performance is known as 'Al-Ayyalah,' a traditional Gulf Arab art form and symbolic enactment of wartime unity, often performed at weddings, festivals, and national celebrations in the UAE and northern Oman. Al-Ayyalah involves men performing synchronised movements with bamboo canes, while women dance in formation, tossing their hair in rhythm with the beat of traditional drums. The dance has been recognised by UNESCO as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, highlighting its deep-rooted cultural significance.


Express Tribune
30-04-2025
- Express Tribune
Lil Durk faces bond setback as feds seize unreleased song in murder-for-hire investigation
Rapper Lil Durk is facing a new hurdle in his ongoing murder-for-hire case, as federal prosecutors have seized an unreleased song they say may be used as evidence. Durk, who has been behind bars since his October 2024 arrest, is accused of conspiring in the killing of Saviay'a Robinson, a cousin of rapper Quando Rondo. According to court documents reviewed by Complex, the government obtained the unreleased track, titled 'Scoom His Ass,' through a federal search warrant on a co-conspirator's phone. Prosecutors argue that the song's lyrics—including references to 'riding through Beverly Hills with choppers'—mirror details of the alleged crime and should be considered when evaluating Durk's bond eligibility. The defense, however, has pushed back. Durk's attorney, Drew Findling, recently challenged the prosecution's use of lyrics in the indictment, citing another song—'Wonderful Wayne & Jackie Boy'—that was written before the crime allegedly occurred. 'Unless the government is prosecuting Banks on a theory of extra-sensory prescience, the lyrics could not have soundly informed the grand jury's finding of probable cause,' Findling stated, per Billboard. Prosecutors have since maintained that Durk remains a flight risk and argue that his latest bond request offers no new information of substance. The rapper, whose legal name is Durk Banks, continues to await trial from custody. In a recent phone interview with DJ Akademiks, Durk shared that he's focusing on spiritual growth and learning Arabic while in jail, saying, 'I've just been focused on life, my family… I'm getting my knowledge together.'


Express Tribune
26-04-2025
- Express Tribune
Dh 464,550 Ibn-e- Sina manuscript to feature at Abu Dhabi book fair
The rare book to be display at the Abu Dhabi festival. PHOTO: KHALEEJ TIMES Listen to article A rare 14th-century manuscript of Canon of Medicine by Ibn Sina, valued at Dh464,550, will be one of the centrepieces at the 34th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF), which opens today at the ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi and runs until 5 May. The manuscript, brought by renowned London antiquarian book dealer Peter Harrington, marks a major milestone: the 1000th anniversary of Ibn Sina's seminal work, a cornerstone of medieval Islamic and global medical scholarship. This year's edition of the fair welcomes 1,400 exhibitors from 96 countries, offering over 2,000 activities across literature, publishing, creative industries, and cultural dialogue. Organised under the theme Knowledge Illuminates Our Community, the event is hosted by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre and held under the patronage of President Sheikh Mohamed. Peter Harrington's carefully curated collection highlights rare works celebrating Middle Eastern history and the early encounters between Islamic and Western traditions. Among the notable items is the first known appearance of Arabic script in an American novel, The Kentuckian in New-York (1834), priced at £7,500 (Dh36,675), and a previously unrecorded 19th-century Arabic-English phrasebook by an Egyptian author, also priced at £7,500. Adding to the allure is a rare first complete Arabic edition of One Thousand and One Nights printed in the Arab world at Cairo's Bulaq Press in 1835, complementing the fair's celebration of the classic as the 'Book of the World'. Other standout artefacts include a visual archive of Saudi Arabia's post-war Hejaz Railway project (1948), with over 200 unpublished photographs priced at £18,500 (Dh90,465), and a series of original watercolours by famed illustrator Edmund Dulac for The Arabian Nights, priced between £35,000 and £80,000 (Dh171,000 to Dh391,000). 'These works carry value beyond their rarity — they speak to identity, memory, and belonging,' said Pom Harrington, owner of Peter Harrington. He noted a growing appetite among Middle Eastern collectors, particularly younger ones, for items that reflect personal histories and cultural heritage. Ben Houston, the dealer's sales director, added: 'We're seeing strong interest in Arabic calligraphy, Islamic philosophy, early scientific texts, and diasporic heritage materials like trade maps and early language guides.' The fair's organisers said this trend mirrors a broader cultural movement across the region, where national identity and heritage preservation are increasingly shaping both institutional and private collections.