Saudi Cinema Association & Ithra Unveil Saudi Film Festival Highlights
This year's festival will feature 68 screenings, including 36 feature, short, and documentary films from Saudi and the Gulf region, all woven together by the unifying theme of 'Cinema of Identity'.
The Saudi Cinema Association and the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture (Ithra) have unveiled the highlights for the 11th edition of the Saudi Film Festival, the longest-running festival of its kind in the Kingdom. Scheduled to take place from April 17th to the 23rd, the festival is supported by the Film Commission and will showcase 68 screenings, including 36 feature, short, and documentary films from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region.
Under the theme 'Cinema of Identity', films screened at Saudi Film Festival will delve into themes of individual, national and diverse cultural identities, exploring their complexities and transformations. This year, the festival expands its global footprint by featuring 12 short films from Arab and international filmmakers, presented in collaboration with the world-renowned Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in France.
Additionally, in partnership with Japan's Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, audiences can experience screenings of eight Japanese feature and short films, accompanied by discussions with Japanese filmmakers. 'Many of these films will screen for the first time at the festival,' notes Vice President of Saudi Film Festival, Mansour Al-Badran.
Beyond screenings, the festival's program will feature a cultural symposium, delving into themes of individual, national, and diverse cultural identities, exploring their complexities and transformations.
Returning this year is the festival's Production Market, which will showcase 22 projects from 22 different exhibitors in Ithra's Great Hall. Unlike production markets at other international festivals, this one is exclusively dedicated to the Saudi film industry, offering unique opportunities for filmmakers to connect with industry professionals. 'Ithra has increased the number of screens to ensure greater accessibility to the films,' Al-Badran added.
As in previous years, the festival will continue to incorporate script-development workshops for short and feature-length screenplays, including advisory sessions with industry mentors.
'The Festival acts as an exceptional platform for filmmakers to present their cinematic creativity and bring their stories to audiences,' Ahmed Al-Mulla, Saudi Film Festival Director, said. 'It offers a diverse selection of films and programmes focusing on successful production experiences in the cinematic landscape, allowing attendees to engage with and learn from industry professionals.'
The festival will culminate in an awards ceremony, recognising excellence across multiple categories. A total of 285 films have been submitted for the film awards, 116 for the production and market competition and 313 scripts for the unproduced screenplay competition.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Egypt Today
an hour ago
- Egypt Today
Passant Shawky Joins Mohamed Sadek's Directorial Debut 'Ezma' After Bestselling Novel's Success
Passant Shawky has officially joined the star-studded cast of the highly anticipated film Ezma, alongside Ahmed Dawood, Salma Abu Deif, and rising talent Jessica Hossam El-Din. The ensemble promises a gripping and emotionally resonant cinematic experience. Ezma is written and directed by Mohamed Sadek, the celebrated novelist and screenwriter, marking his directorial debut. The film is adapted from his 2020 bestselling novel of the same name, which topped charts across Egypt and the Arab world. Produced by The Producers Films, the project reflects the company's ongoing vision of transforming powerful literary works into compelling screen narratives. With a reputation for marrying artistic depth with mainstream appeal, Ezma continues the legacy of producers Hani Osama and Hadi El Bagoury, co-founders of the company.
Egypt Independent
11 hours ago
- Egypt Independent
Humanity and Honesty
Lord Francis resides in a beautiful estate about an hour outside central London. Each year, he invites me to a very special dinner where he gathers guests from literally around the world. Last year his dining table hosted 36 guests and although I didn't count this time, it must have been a similar number, if not more. It is a black-tie event and even though I am not fond of those I complied each year and arrived at 6:30 pm on the dot, as per the invitation. After being welcomed by Lord Francis, who inquired about my family and Egypt, and following a 45 minute reception where I mixed with many of the guests, we were then led to the dining hall. The sight of it never ceases to amaze me, with its sheer size, high ceiling, and intricately detailed walls featuring his ancestor's portraits alongside a dozen Rembrandts, Caravaggios and Gérômes, plus a huge Deutsch depicting the Egyptian 'mahmal' going to Saudi Arabia. Lord Francis had been to Saudi, Egypt, Jordan and Kuwait on multiple occasions and also had a home in Morocco that he would visit frequently with his extended family. My seat at the dinner was between Jeff Randall, an American asset management firm owner and Elizabeth Sanderson, an Australian Senator. Facing me was Osman Sakur, a Turkish industrialist. Dinner was was beautifully choreographed, served by at least 40 servers with at least two orchestra conductor-type leaders impressively managing the servers incoming and outgoing. The menu was brimming with options, and I chose salmon to start of, followed by a grilled Dover sole and steamed vegetables, and finishing with a mouth-watering chocolate fondue. Conversation during dinner was light and entertaining. At the end of dinner, Lord Francis gave an amazing recognition of all his guests in a light but insightful manner. The group include: Rose, a Belgian author and academic Ramadan, an advisor to the Emir of Qatar Ezra, an Israeli media CEO Alex, a Russian energy billionaire Soliman, a Saudi investor David, an American journalist Penny, a Singaporean hotel owner Yulia, a Ukrainian model and agency owner in Paris Giuseppe, an Italian politician Andreas, an Argentinian IT entrepreneur Yuanyun, a Chinese EV company owner Patrice, a South African mine owner Rahul, an Indian data center owner Reza, a former Azerbaijani Minister of Investment Laila, a Moroccan parliament member Josef, a German industrial defense owner Sandro, a Brazilian crypto leader and former hacker Gloria, a Kenyan real estate owner Ralph, a Canadian aircraft charter owner Cindy, a Swiss heiress Pierre, a French senator I lost track of the guests after Pierre was introduced. Lord Francis thanked us for attending, and as the huge clock in the hallway noisily indicated it was nine pm with nine string gongs, we were invited for coffee, tea, cigars and sage conversation. We walked across the massive hallway to another large hall with an ordained ceiling and heavy wood paneling on the walls, where two imposing marble fireplaces faced each other across the room. Servers appeared with coffee, tea, liqueurs, cognac and cigars. I took a green tea and sat in a large semi-circle of plush sofas and large seats ordained with Lord Francis' crests. As most in the room were regulars, we knew what was to follow. A candid discussion of the state of the world and what we expect to occur in the immediate future. Chatham House rules, careful language, no speeches and precise moderation by Lord Francis were the carefully crafted mannerisms of the after-dinner discussion. Lord Francis turned to Rose and asked her if she could name how many conflicts exist in the world today. Rose's answer, precise to the point, was that as of May 2025, numerous armed conflicts were ongoing worldwide, impacting millions and contributing to widespread humanitarian crises. The Geneva Academy's Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts (RULAC) project monitors over 110 active armed conflicts involving at least 55 states and more than 70 non-state armed groups. I was taken aback, as many in the room were more or less shocked by the figure of 110. Gloria erupted 'Oh my God!' and David shook his head, commenting that the global population did not have such a figure in their perception. Osman, holding an unlit cigar, stated that, 'The worst conflicts were in Sudan, Palestine-Israel and Ukraine-Russia.' 'Don't forget Myanmar, Ethiopia and Somalia,' Yuanyun added. Reza said, 'Political violence increased by 25 percent globally in 2024 compared to 2023, with one in eight people exposed to conflict and over 250,000 people killed.' Lord Francis turned to Jeff and asked, 'What is the financial cost of these conflicts?' Jeff demurred and admitted he could not provide an answer but that it was in the trillions. Laila stood up and exclaimed, 'It's not only the killing, it's the maiming, the injured, the starvation and destruction that the world does not see…' She took two steps towards a table to place her coffee cup and continued, 'I went to Gaza to receive the body of a Moroccan journalist killed by a shot to the head and could not believe the hell I saw.' Before Lord Francis could take back the mantle of the discussion, Giusippe reflected in a quiet but audible voice, 'We have lost our humanity and our moral compass has become mired in a blind fog.' Lord Francis noted Laila's emotional state and said, 'We all have seen different challenging circumstances, but Laila has seen humanity at its worst.' Laila said, 'I pray you never see children's body parts in the rubble rotting outside a morgue.' I could sense that the conversation was touching a chord amongst most of the group. Josef interjected that the world was a better place during the Cold War. All players knew the rules and played by them. Now it was a free for all and killing, bombing, massacring, injuring and destroying is an everyday sport. 'It must stop,' he finished. As I heard the discussion continue, detailing how tribes in Ethiopia are slaughtering each other, the way Sudan's civil war was fueled by outside players and hearing of Yemen's famine and mass displacement, my mind went to the better days where human beings cooperated to make the world a better place. I remembered how I saw strangers help one another during the 1967 war, how I, standing in pouring rain in Austria, experienced a female driver stopping to drive me to a youth hostel in Vienna. There were no homeless people that I saw in the 70s in major cities, as I see everywhere now. My mind returned to the discussion as Sandro was saying, 'The world is experiencing an unprecedented number of conflicts, which appear increasingly intractable. Violence from conflicts has risen dramatically by over 37 percent from 2023 to the end of 2024. If you want peace,' he added,' go to Iceland, but remember President Trump's words!' Lord Francis turned to David and asked 'how is the US?' Before David could respond, Yulia responded promptly, 'Unstable. President Trump's manner of ruling, opting for rule of the jungle rather than rule of law has created instability internally and globally,' she explained in perfect English, with no accent. David conceded that even though he is a Republican the Trump/Musk duo has created an atmosphere of uncertainty, stress, worry and tension. 'It's amazing,' he mentioned, 'that Trump's shock and awe policies framed in America's Supreme Court's decision to grant President's total immunity for official acts, is the new norm in Washington DC.' Cindy, usually a very quiet observer, said to Lord Francis in her Swiss-German accent, 'As the world is losing its humanity let's not forget in parallel, we are losing our honesty. Fraud,' Cindy gestured, 'has increased in an unprecedented manner globally, driven by technology and evolving tactics used by fraudsters.' Ralph agreed the increase was evident in both the volume of fraud attempts and the financial losses incurred by individuals and businesses. David interjected as he shuffled in his seat, stating that Americans in 2024 were defrauded to the tune of a billion dollars in an abundance of illegitimate schemes. My mind wandered again. I remembered in the 70's and 80's when I concluded successful business transactions based on a handshake, whereas today with a battery of lawyers and auditors you were faced with shocking dishonesty and fraud on multiple levels, regardless of written contracts. The clock in the hallway announced that it was 11pm. Lord Francis stood and we all followed. The next 15 minutes were warm goodbyes and exchange of last minute comments. I saw Lord Francis, expressed my sincere appreciation and found my driver hovering at the entrance. As I was driven home, I was worried that the coming generations will face the complications of increased conflicts, a lack of wise leadership, more dishonesty, enhanced technology, a greater dark web, more complicated crypto tools and AI tools defining a new world with less humanity, and greater difficulty in defining fact and fiction.
Watani
3 days ago
- Watani
Samiha Ayoub (1932 – 2025) Iconic actress dies
The Lady of Arab Theatre, the legendary veteran Egyptian actress Samiha Ayoub (1932 – 2025) has departed our world, leaving behind a void difficult to fill. 'Her works will remain beacons lighting the path for future generations, and her memory will remain eternal in the hearts of her admirers.' With these words Egypt's Minister of Culture, Ahmed Fouad Hanno, mourned Ms Ayoub who died in her home in the Cairo upscale district of Zamalek on 3 June 2025 at the age of 93. She was a prolific actress who has to her credit the longest artistic career of a female actor in the history of Arab theatre and cinema. Her career spanned over 450 works, including 44 films, 220 TV series, and some 115 radio dramas. Her works varied from the classic to the modern, and from the tragic to the comic, each role played with legendary mastery. Throughout her life, she richly enhanced the cultural and artistic scene in Egypt and the Arab World. 'The late actress,' Mr Hanno read, 'was a dedicated, creative national artist who devoted her life to art and gifted her audience an exceptional journey of creativity and uniqueness.' Mr Hanno offered his sincere condolences to her family, friends, and fans, praying that God grants her His mercy. Samiha Ayoub was born in the middle-class Shubra district of Cairo in 1932 She studied at a Catholic girls' school in Cairo. Her first acting role came when she was only 15; she played Mary Magdalene in the 1938 Egyptian production ++The Life and Passion of the Lord Christ++. Ms Ayoub became a member of the Zaky Tulaimat Theatre Group whose founder Tulaimat became pivotal in her acting career. Tulaimat was an Egyptian actor and director, and famously a pioneer of Egyptian theatre. He founded the School of Theatre and the Institute of Dramatic Arts in Cairo. In 1947, Ms Ayoub played a role in Mohamed Abdel-Gawad's film ++al-Mutasharrida (The Homeless++ which marked an early breakthrough in her career. Encouraged by Tulaimat, Ms Ayoub joined the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts in 1949, where he continued to mentor her alongside other renowned Egyptian artists. From 1972 to 1975, Ms Ayoub managed The Modern Theatre, and from 1975 to 1985, she was the director of Egypt's iconic al-Qawmy Theatre (The National Theatre). In 2015, she received the Nile Award in the Arts, and in the same year, the large hall in the National Theater was named after her, in honour of her outstanding acting career and her contributions to the theatrical arts in Egypt. She continued to be active until her final years. Her name drew crowds of spectators to theatres, her acting moved hearts and her strong, warm voice carried faithful expression. In 2021, Ms Ayoub was honoured at the Sharm al-Sheikh Theatre Festival for Youth, and remained honorary president throughout the following years. 'Deep inside me is this very humble person who feels she has not done much. When standing on stage, I find my strength; it is in front of the audience that I am alive; the presence of the audience allows me to create the true character that I portray,' she said during one of the symposiums in 2021. Samiha Ayoub was married four timesShe leaves behind two sons: Alaa Mahmoud Mursi and Mahmoud Mohsen Sarhan, and one grandson Youssef Alaa Mursi. Watani International 3 June 2025 Comments comments Tags: Ekhlass AtallahSamiha Ayoub (1932 - 2025)
