Latest news with #AbdulazizAlshlahei
Broadcast Pro
20-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Red Sea Film Foundation celebrates Saudi storytelling at Saudi Film Festival
Red Sea Fund to grant two awards of $6662.69 each for Development and Production categories. As part of its ongoing mission to support the rapidly growing film industry in Saudi Arabia, the Red Sea Film Foundation has taken part in the 11th edition of the Saudi Film Festival, running until April 23, 2025, at the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture (Ithra) in Dhahran. Through its flagship initiative, the Red Sea Fund, the Foundation is awarding two competitive cash prizes—each worth SAR 25,000—for standout Saudi film projects in the Development and Production categories. These awards reflect the Foundation's broader commitment to nurturing emerging talent and elevating high-quality filmmaking across the Kingdom. This year's festival will spotlight three films supported by the Red Sea Fund in its official competition lineup: Hobal by Abdulaziz Alshlahei, Songs of Adam by Oday Rasheed, and My Driver and I by Ahd Kamel. In addition, two Saudi short films, AFEN by Nawaf Alkinani and Hello My Dear by Ahmad Salam, will be featured outside the competition, offering audiences a chance to experience a wide range of creative voices fostered through the Foundation's support. Demonstrating its leadership in strengthening the national film ecosystem, the Red Sea Film Foundation is also hosting a booth at the festival's Production Market. Staffed by representatives from its key programmes—Red Sea Souk, Red Sea Labs and the Red Sea Fund—the booth serves as a resource for filmmakers seeking financial, educational and production-related guidance at all stages of their cinematic journey. Since its establishment in 2019, the Foundation has played an active role in both local and international film festivals, spearheading a range of initiatives in production, distribution, education and training. These efforts are central to the Foundation's mission of cultivating a new generation of filmmakers and building a sustainable and globally competitive film industry across Saudi Arabia, Africa and Asia.
Arab News
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Red Sea Film Foundation champions Saudi storytelling at Saudi Film Festival
JEDDAH: The Red Sea Film Foundation is participating in the 11th edition of the Saudi Film Festival, running from April 17-23 at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Dhahran, as part of its ongoing efforts to support the Kingdom's film industry. Through its flagship initiative, the Red Sea Fund, the foundation will present two awards of SR 25,000 ($6,668) each for outstanding Saudi film projects in the Development and Production categories. This year, five foundation-backed titles are screening at the festival, including three films selected for the official competition: 'Hobal' by Abdulaziz Alshlahei, 'Songs of Adam' by Oday Rasheed, and 'My Driver and I' by Ahd Kamel. Two short films — 'Afen' by Nawaf Alkinani and 'Hello My Dear' by Ahmad Salam — will screen outside the official competition lineup. The foundation will also take part in the SFF's Production Market, showcasing its key initiatives: the Red Sea Souk, Red Sea Labs, and the Red Sea Fund, all of which, the foundation said in a press release, 'provide filmmakers with essential financial, creative, and logistical support across all stages of the filmmaking journey.' Since its establishment in 2019, the Red Sea Film Foundation has, it stated, 'played a central role in shaping the region's cinematic landscape through a range of local and international initiatives spanning production, distribution, education and training. Its mission continues to focus on nurturing a new generation of storytellers and contributing to a thriving, sustainable film ecosystem across Saudi Arabia, Africa and Asia.' The Saudi Film Festival was founded in 2008 and is the Kingdom's longest-running cinema-related event. Visit the Ithra website for showtimes.
CairoScene
15-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Indie Film 'Hobal' Breaks Records With 500,000 Viewers in Four Weeks
Hobal dominates Saudi cinemas with over 500,000 admissions, breaking records and outperforming global hits in just four weeks. 'Hobal', an independent Saudi film directed by Abdulaziz Alshlahei, has become the fastest-growing independent film in the kingdom's history, with over 500,000 admissions in four weeks. Written by Mufarrij Almajfel, the film follows a Bedouin family facing isolation after the Gulf War. The cast features Ibrahim Al-Hassawi ('Scales'), Mishaal Almutairi ('Forty Years and One Night'), and Mila Alzahrani ('The Perfect Candidate'). Since its release on January 2nd, 'Hobal' has amassed 527,000 ticket sales and grossed SAR 21,633,556 (approximately USD 5,767,923 million). The film has held the number one spot in the nation's box office for four consecutive weeks. Building on its record-breaking opening week of 119,717 admissions, 'Hobal' has sold-out screenings from Riyadh to Jeddah and even rural areas, where audience engagement accounted for over 20% of total admissions. Since its release in Kuwait, UAE, Oman, and Bahrain on January 23rd, the film has already achieved over 87,000 admissions. The film was produced by Shaf Studios, with Egypt's Film Clinic and Peninsula Pictures Group as co-producers. 'Hobal' is led by producer Sharif Almajali, p.g.a, alongside executive producers Abdulaziz Alshlahei, Mofarij Almujfel, and Mohamed Al Turki. The film is backed by the Daw' Film Competition, the Saudi Film Commission, the Quality of Life Program, and NEOM, with additional support from private sector partners.
Broadcast Pro
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Saudi film ‘Hobal' breaks records with vver 500,000 admissions in four weeks
The film received production support from Neom, which provided assistance with crew, location scouting, logistics and on-the-ground production expertise. Saudi independent film Hobal , directed by Abdulaziz Alshlahei, has made history as the fastest-growing independent film in the kingdom, surpassing 500,000 admissions within just four weeks. Written by Mufarrij Almajfel, Hobal tells the story of a Bedouin family struggling with isolation in the aftermath of the Gulf War. The film features Ibrahim Al-Hassawi, Mishaal Almutairi and Mila Alzahrani. Since its release on January 2, Hobal has sold 527,000 tickets and grossed SAR 21,633,556 (approximately $5.8m). It has maintained its dominance at the Saudi box office, holding the number one position for four consecutive weeks. Following an opening week with 119,717 admissions, the film has continued to sell out screenings in major cities like Riyadh and Jeddah, as well as rural areas, which accounted for over 20% of total ticket sales. Expanding its reach to Kuwait, the UAE, Oman and Bahrain on January 23, Hobal has already secured over 87,000 additional admissions in the region. The film was produced by Shaf Studios, with Egypt's Film Clinic and Peninsula Pictures Group serving as co-producers. Producer Sharif Almajali, p.g.a, led the production alongside executive producers Abdulaziz Alshlahei, Mofarij Almujfel, and Mohamed Al Turki. Hobal received support from the Daw' Film Competition, the Saudi Film Commission, the Quality of Life Programme, and Neom, in addition to contributions from private sector partners. Much of the film was shot at the newly established Bajdah Studios near Neom, as well as in the striking desert and mountainous landscapes along Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast in Tabuk.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Anti-Patriarchy Saudi Drama ‘Hobal' Beats Hollywood Titles, Becoming Standout Local Hit
Saudi filmmaker Abdulaziz Alshlahei's drama 'Hobal' about clashes between tradition and modernity within a Saudi family during the early 1990s is scoring mightily at the Saudi Arabian box office, outperfoming Hollywood titles such as 'Mufasa: The Lion King,' 'Flight Risk' and 'Den of Thieves 2: Pantera.' The timely film in which a Saudi family is forced by its grandfather to live in isolation in the desert at the outbreak of the 1990 Gulf War, when a young girl falls ill, prompting her mother to fight the patriarchy to try and save her child, is striking a deep chord with Saudi audiences. 'Hobal' has now pulled more than 500,000 admissions since its Jan. 2 release via distributor Qanwat Group, racking up a handsome roughly $5.7 million take to date, according to figures from the Saudi Film Commission which compiles Saudi box office numbers. More from Variety 'Hobal' Review: A Family of Nomads Is Unsettled by the Future in Dynamic Drama Saudi Arabia's Neom Media Hub Partners With Hakawati Entertainment on Nine Picture Deal, Production Services Unit (EXCLUSIVE) Film Crews Trek to Diverse Locations in the Middle East and North Africa Disney's 'Mufasa,' by contrast, has grossed 328,000 admissions and pulled $4.4 million locally since its Dec. 19, 2024, release in Saudi cinemas. The stellar 'Hobal' box office performance in Saudi is being touted as marking the fastest growth for a homegrown indie title at the local box office since Saudi Arabia revoked a 35-year ban on the operation of commercial movie theaters in Dec. 2017. Significantly 'Hobal,' which premiered at the Red Sea Film Festival in December, has been sustaining the momentum of its strong Jan. 2 opening with sold-out screenings across Saudi Arabia, even in rural areas 'where audience engagement accounted for over 20% of total admissions,' according to a statement from the distributor. Since lifting its religion-related ban on cinema Saudi Arabia has become the Middle East-North Africa region's top movie market with audiences flocking to movie theaters lured both by Hollywood blockbusters and a growing number of local hits. But the strength of local content is one of Saudi Arabia's greatest trump cards. As Comscore senior operations manager Nathan Gilligan recently told Variety: 'Local product is really strong in Saudi. It is popular even as you go out further into the provinces.' Outside Saudi, 'Hobal' has also been playing well in nearby Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) territories, scoring more than 87,000 admissions in Kuwait, the UAE, Oman, and Bahrain. 'Hobal' was largely shot in the new Bajdah Studios near the futuristic city of NEOM and in the desert and mountain landscapes along Saudi's Red Sea coast in Tabuk. It is Alshlahei's third feature, segueing from his groundbreaking drama 'The Tambour of Retribution,' about the forbidden love between an executioner's son and a wedding drummer's daughter in turn-of-the-century Riyadh. 'Tambour,' which was released on Netflix, was Saudi Arabia's submission for the 2022 best international feature film Oscar. 'Hobal' is produced by Shaf Studios, with Egyptian producer Mohamed Hefzi's Film Clinic and Peninsula Pictures Group as co-producers. The film is produced by Sharif Almajali with Abdulaziz Alshlahei, Mofarij Almujfel, Mohamed Al Turki, and Riyadh Alzamil serving as executive producers. It was supported by the Daw' Film Competition, the Saudi Film Commission, the Quality of Life Program, and NEOM, with the participation of various private sector partners. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Grammy Predictions, From Beyoncé to Kendrick Lamar: Who Will Win? Who Should Win? What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025
